Without the Time Machine
by DeathGoblin
Summary: (On Hiatus) All hope seems lost in the mirai timeline, especially after Gohan's disappearance. Will the arrival of Tarble and Bardock be what Trunks needs to turn the tide?
1. The New Arrivals

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

Note: Even though the main characters are M. Trunks and Tarble, Bardock is also a main character in the beginning of this story. Also, before you read this story, I suggest you get familiar with the following DBZ movies: 'Wrath of the Dragon,' and 'Yo Son Goku and his friends Return.'

* * *

Bardock's eyes widened as he saw the large ball of energy heading towards him. His own attack had failed and there was nothing he could do. Everything he cared about was doomed. However, as his death approached, he had vision that calmed his soul.

_Goku stood facing Freeza with a determined look. _

He smiled. "My son will live on…" _Kakarot…I see now. You will defeat Freeza._

However, the calm and happy visions took a horrible turn.

_Goku lay in bed. His friends were gathered around him. He had a cloth over his forehead to keep him cool, however, it was not enough. Goku died. _

_No! My son._ Bardock's peace had been disturbed, but this was just the beginning.

_Screams of anguish filled the city. Dead bodies littered the streets, however, there were seven bodies that stood out of the crowd. They were Vegeta, Tien, Chaotzu, Yamcha, Krillin, Yajirobe and Piccolo. _

"What! They're all dying." As the ball grew closer, Bardock saw another vision, one that completely changed his mindset.

_Gohan found himself on the defensive. In spite of only having one arm, he had been able to hold his own, however, now, in his fight against two opponents his advantage had slipped away. After being tripped, he was forced to retreat, however, the pair slammed him into a building, and then, rising into the air, they finished him off with a barrage of ki blasts. _

"No…now my grandson as well!" _I can't do anything now, but I'll get stronger. I can't let those punks get away with this. I…I can't die now!_

A new fire lit up within him, he realized that there was still something left to live for. Powering up, Bardock flew back down to the planet below. He approached the place where his pod had landed earlier.

He knew Freeza was too busy gloating to notice him.

Climbing into the pod, he furiously typed in the coordinates. _Come on! This is my only chance to get out! _

The pod lifted into the air and shot out of the atmosphere. As the ball made contact with the planet it caused turbulence for Bardock. Yet he made his escape…however, he had no idea where he was going or whether or not he would see his son again.

* * *

Many years later…

"Planet Earth is only a few hours away," said a computerized voice.

"Excellent," said Tarble. He let out a sigh.

"Tarble dear," said Gure. "Our scanners indicate that Abo and Cado are several days behind us. We'll have time to find your brother so he can defeat them."

"Yes…soon it will be over. I just hope he's willing to help us. My brother isn't exactly the most understanding person."

"Don't worry," said Gure. "He's the saiyan crown prince. I'm sure he'll jump at the chance to face them."

The two pods drew closer and closer to Earth.

* * *

Trunks' eyes shot open. He sat up in bed, panting.

"Trunks! What is it?" Bulma ran into the room with a concerned expression.

"Oh…sorry mom, it was just a nightmare."

She smiled. "Dreaming about the androids?"

Trunks shook his head. "Not exactly. I was dreaming about master Gohan…I saw his dead body…"

"He's been missing for several years. I don't like it, but there's always the possibility that the androids-"

"No! I know he's alive…" Clenching the bed covers in his fists, Trunks clamed down a little. Looking back up, he gave his mother an apologetic look. "Sorry…I just got carried away."

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Bulma squeezed it comfortingly. "It's okay to feel upset Trunks. But I'm sure you'll eventually get those androids for what they've done to this planet."

"Yes…I know I will…" _But can I do it alone?_

Getting up from the bed, Trunks got ready to go downstairs where his mother was going to make breakfast. As he got ready, he glanced at the music box on his desk.

Looking it over briefly, he then looked at his sword. _Tapion…I swear I'll save this planet. I'll make both you and master Gohan proud. Then maybe I'll save you as well so you can be freed from the box. _

Making his way down the stairs, Trunks noted the approach of five power levels. _Oh…what now? I hope this doesn't mean trouble. Then again, I doubt anything besides Hirudegarn would be more trouble than the androids. _

As she walked into the kitchen, Bulma noticed her son's distracted expression. "Is something wrong Trunks? Do you sense another android attack?"

Shaking his head, Trunks sat down to eat. "No, I don't know what to make of it, but I sense five power levels approaching the earth."

"Approaching from space?"

Nodding, Trunks began to eat the pancakes that Bulma had made. "I'm pretty sure it's from space, but I have no idea who or what they could be. There are two that are pretty close, and two more behind them. Then there's a fifth one, which is approaching the Earth from a completely different angle."

Bulma became worried. "Are they strong?"

"I depends what your definition of strong is. They're all well above that of an average human…except one of them. Two are incredibly strong, though I should be able to beat them both as a super saiyan. I doubt any all five of them combined would pose a bigger threat to us than the androids."

* * *

The two pods entered the Earth's atmosphere. They looked like meteors as their exteriors burned up from friction with the air. As they approached the ground, they changed course. Instead of slamming into the ground below they descended slowly, moving parallel to the ground as they lost altitude.

A large trough formed in the ground when they skidding to a stop. The hatches opened and the two occupants stepped out.

Tapping his scouter, Tarble scanned the planet for any signs of life. His eyes widened at the results. "This…this can't be. There's barely any life on this planet."

"Maybe your brother killed most of the life forms," suggested Gure.

"That sounds like something he would do, but something does not feel right about this." His scouter beeped. "Hey, there's a large power level heading straight toward us. It might be Vegeta."

"I hope its friendly," replied Gure nervously.

A few moments later, Trunks was floating in the air above them.

As Tarble studied his face, his eyes picked up on Trunks' facial feature. _His face…it reminds me of my brother's. _

Trunks was wearing his classic black pants and sleeveless shirt, with his purple Capsule Corp. jacket. He had also brought his sword just in case.

Looking at the new arrivals with a serious expression, he descended to the ground. His eyes then widened at the sight of Tarble tail. "You're a saiyan?"

Tarble nodded. "Yes, my name is Tarble, son of King Vegeta. I came here seeking the help of my brother, Prince Vegeta."

Trunks raised an eyebrow. "So you're a saiyan prince too?"

Tarble nodded. "Yes. I was sent away from my home as a little boy. However, I've come under attack from two evil beings, Abo and Cado. I need to find my older brother and ask him for help. Since you know about the saiyans, would you know where I could find him?"

Trunks' eyes softened as he saw the truthfulness written Tarble's face. "I…I'm sorry. Your brother is dead. I am his son, Trunks. That would make me your nephew."

Gure gasped in shock and turned to see her husband's reaction.

Tarble simply smiled. "I knew there was something familiar about you. I am not very surprised that you would be related to my brother." His face then became grim. "But I am very shocked and upset about him being dead. Tell me, who could've killed him?"

"They were androids," replied Trunks. "When I was just a year old, two androids appeared. He fought and was killed by them. The androids have continued their reign of terror over this planet. I've tried to beat them, but I'm just not strong enough." Trunks clenched his fists in frustration.

"Are they stronger than Freeza?" asked Tarble.

"They are…far stronger than Freeza."

Tarble's gasped in shock. "But…how?"

"I don't know. Anyway, back to Abo and Cado, how strong are they? I might be able to help you beat them."

"They're both as strong as Freeza now. Without my brother, I'm not sure if we stand a chance against them."

A smirk appeared on Trunks' face. "Don't worry about them. I can beat them both. With any luck, the androids would deal with them before I even have to though. While we're waiting for them, why don't you two follow me home. I'm sure you'd like to meet your sister in law."

Smiling, Tarble turned to Gure and nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. With our home planets destroyed, we have no place else to live."

"Alright then, follow me." All three of them took off.

They were oblivious to the short, hooded figure that had been watching them. The being smiled and started tailing them discreetly. _That's right Trunks, lead me right to Tapion's music box.

* * *

_

I said this before, you need prior knowledge of the characters to read this fic. I will not spend to going over their stories. Also, I won't be updating for a while. This story placed second on my poll and I'm only putting it up here because there aren't many Tarble stories out yet.


	2. Return of an Old Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

Note: I've said it before; don't ask me to explain the backgrounds of the characters. Watch the videos on youtube or something.

* * *

Bulma was surprised when she saw three figures headed towards her. She knew that one had to be Trunks, but was curious about the other two. They couldn't be androids since all three figures were flying side by side instead of two chasing one, as would be the case with the androids. Disregarding all else, Trunks would never lead the androids towards her, even if his own life were in danger.

A minute or so later, Trunks touched down with Tarble and Gure in tow. To Bulma's surprise, he was smiling.

"Trunks? Who are those two?" Moments after asking, she saw Tarble's saiyan armor and tail. "He's…a saiyan!"

"Yes mom. He's dad's younger brother." Trunks smiled as he watched his mother's look of shock.

"Hello Mrs. Bulma," said Tarble curtly. "My name is Tarble, and I assume you're my brother's wife."

"I am," replied Bulma as she recovered from her the shock. "It's nice to meet you. You're certainly better behaved than your brother."

They all shared a laugh.

"So who's this?" asked Bulma as she turned her eyes to Gure.

"My name Gure." She bowed. "I am Tarble's wife."

Trunks couldn't help but laugh as he watched his mother's eyes grow as wide as dinner plates. "I was shocked too mom. But I guess anything's possible with saiyans."

"Why don't we all go inside," said Bulma. "It's not safe to be outside too long. I'm sure Trunks has told you about the androids."

"He has,' replied Tarble. "However, they won't be the only threat on this planet for long."

Once inside, Bulma brought out some snacks. Once everyone was settled down, Tarble and Gure explained their crisis with Abo and Cado, as well as the fact that they couldn't go home.

"My gosh! That sounds awful, and you said they're as strong as Freeza?"

"Don't worry mom," said Trunks. "I can take them. They're not nearly as strong as the androids…though it wont be easy."

"I will help you fight them," said Tarble. "And since I'm not going anywhere, I'll also do my best against the androids."

Trunks shook his head. "I know you can fight, and nobody will think badly of you if you don't fight, but these androids are really strong. They're stronger than me, even though I'm a super saiyan. Sorry to say, but you won't make much of a difference against them."

Tarble sighed. "I guess not."

"Let's not talk about this now," said Bulma. "Why don't we choose a happier topic? I'll bet Tarble has some stories to share from his time in space."

* * *

As the group continued to talk, a small, hooded figure peered at them through the window. _Good, while they talk about the good old days, I'll get my hands on that music box. The Hirudegarn will be free!_

Scaling the walls of the building, he found his way into Trunks' room. He snatched the music box from the desk and took it outside.

"This incantation will use up a considerable amount of energy, but it will be worth it if I can set Tapion free again." Placing the music box on the ground, he extended his hands towards it, and started chanting.

A green colored smoke materialized around his hands and made its way towards the music box. It took a few minutes before the smoke had completely left his hands; it was now surrounding the music box, lifting it into the air.

The man grinned. _I should leave now. When the box explodes, it will cause quite a commotion. It would be unwise to be risk being caught. _Using the last of his ki, the hooded figure lifted into the sky and took off.

A few minutes later, the box exploded.

Everyone in the Capsule Corp. kitchen jumped as they heard what sounded like glass shattering. Getting up from their seats, they all rushed out into the yard.

Trunks' eyes widened when he saw his old friend Tapion sprawled out on the lawn. "Tapion! What happened?"

Opening his eyes, Tapion smiled. "Trunks…you've grown." He then passed out. When he woke up, he was in a bed, with everyone else staring down at him with worried looks.

"So what happened?" asked Bulma. "I thought the music box kept you sealed."

"It did…I don't know how I was set free again. Hoy must have gotten stronger. He must've used a powerful spell to break through the box"

"We'll have to find him," replied Trunks.

"But how?" asked Bulma. "He could be anywhere on the planet."

"We'll go to Kami's lookout," replied Trunks.

Bulma gave Trunks an incredulous look. "We don't even know if it's still intact. The androids could've destroyed it."

"We'll never know unless we go look," replied Trunks.

"I fell okay now," said Tapion. "We can leave right now."

Trunks nodded. "Right, let's go."

"I'm not really sure what's going on,' said Tarble, "but I'll come too in case I could be of any help."

"All right," replied Trunks. "We can all get caught up on the way."

"Be careful," said Gure.

* * *

As the three warriors headed towards the lookout, a space pod entered the Earth's atmosphere.

"Wake up Bardock, we have arrived," came a computerized voice.

Opening his eyes, Bardock cleared his throat. _Good…it's about time I found the Earth. I just hope I'm not too late._

The pod created a small crater as it collided with the desert ground. The pod hatch opened after the dust settled.

Stepping out into the desert, Bardock tapped the button on his scouter to see if there were any strong power levels in the area. _Nope…nothing nearby…I'll have to expand my search to include a wider radius. I just hope those things haven't killed my grandson yet._

Bardock growled in frustration when his scouter didn't turn up any results.

"Damn it! This is an older model. I can't scan the entire planet with it!" Lifting off into the air, he flew off to another area. _I'll have to systematically scan the planet until I find someone.

* * *

_

Tapion and Tarble were both on the same page just as Korin Tower came into view. The beautiful tower was a welcome sight amidst the otherwise bland landscape.

"Thank god," said Trunks in a relieved tone. "That's Korin Tower. It lies directly below Kami's lookout. It looks intact, which means the chances of the lookout surviving are almost guaranteed."

"That's good," replied Tapion. "We don't have a moment to spare. If Hirudegarn gets free, he'll be unstoppable."

"This Hirudegarn, how strong would he be in relation to the androids?" Tarble was worried about fighting an unknown enemy. A major difference between him and the average saiyan was the fact that he would always gauge his enemy's strength before jumping into a battle.

Trunks face darkened. "I've yet to sense an upper limit to it. When he last appeared, he wasn't even trying, yet he was at least ten times as strong as each android. For all I know, he could be a thousand times their strength."

"Which is all the more reason why we can't allow Hoy to unleash him," added Tapion.

"That's right. I just wish we had Master Gohan with us."

"By the way, where is Gohan?"

"I'm not sure Tapion. I don't think the androids killed him, but he mysteriously disappeared three years ago. I haven't heard from him since."

"Sounds strange," replied Tapion,

They reached the tower and flew vertically, getting higher and higher.

"Be on the lookout for the top,' said Trunks. "You wouldn't want to hit you head."

After a few more minutes the top came into view. When they got there, they saw the cat, Korin waiting for them.

"Hello, you must be Trunks," said Korin. "I've been watching all of what's been going on. The situation seems grim."

"It is," replied Trunks. "You probably don't know the half of it."

"Good point. Please let me read your mind so I can get on the same page." The all nodded, indicating their consent. After a few minutes, Korin's hair stood up. "Wow! You weren't kidding." Stroking his beard, he went into thought. "You should definitely head up to the lookout. I think you'll find a pleasant surprise waiting for you. If only Gohan had come up here before his disappearance."

"Alright, thanks Korin." Trunks smiled, and was about to leave, when he remembered something. "By the way, do you have senzu beans?"

"I do." Walking towards a table, he picked up a sac and handed it to Trunks. "Here, there are ten beans inside. Use them wisely, I haven't been able to grow many of these recently."

"Thanks Korin." With their business finished, Trunks, Tarble, and Tapion proceeded up to the lookout.

It took a few more minutes before the floating palace came into view.

* * *

This update came sooner than expected. Hopefully, you'll all be in for a surprise in my next update.


	3. A Rescue Mission

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

* * *

When Tapion, Trunks, and Tarble reached the lookout, they didn't see anyone waiting for them. They landed and decided to look around.

"That's strange," said Trunks. "I was expecting to find Mr. Popo up here."

"Maybe he's inside," said Tapion. "I'm sensing a power level from inside. It could be him."

They all went into the palace, something that neither one of them had seen before. The decorations and beauty within the guardian's palace was a refreshing change from the destroyed cities they had been exposed to just a short while ago.

"Hello? Mr. Popo?"

"Who is that?" came a voice from one of the rooms.

"It's me Trunks. I've brought some friends along."

"I'm in this room Trunks, and I could use your help."

When the three warriors entered the room they aw Mr. Popo kneeling next to a bed. The person on the bed was their biggest shock. They were all half expecting it to be Gohan, but instead they saw an unconscious Kami lying there.

"A Namekian," remarked Tarble.

"Is that…Kami?" Trunks' eyes were wide as they stared at the Namekian who resembled an older version of Piccolo. While he had never remembered seeing Piccolo in person, Gohan had shown him a picture.

Mr. Popo nodded. "Yes. This is Kami, the guardian of Earth."

"He's been alive all this time?" Trunks was stunned until another question entered his head. "Then where was Piccolo all these years?"

"He's currently unconscious at the spot of his supposed death," replied Popo. "The attack from the androids would've killed Piccolo, but I was able to save him by keeping Kami alive. In order to do that I had to break the statue of Shenron, the eternal dragon, thereby sacrificing the dragonballs. Without the strain of maintaining them, Kami and Piccolo were left alive, but they've both been in a coma for all these years, hanging on by a sliver. If Gohan had chanced a visit all the way up here, he would've known and Piccolo could've helped out sooner. We might've even gotten the dragonballs back by now."

"What are the dragonballs?" asked Tapion. Tarble also seemed curious.

"I'll explain them later," replied Trunks. "Now we'll have to go down to Earth and find Piccolo's body. He should be in the same place where the original battle occurred, but we might not be able to pick up his power level so we'll have to use our eyes."

"Please hurry," said Mr. Popo. "The sooner Piccolo is healed, the better. I'm not sure how much longer Kami will last. It could be a few more years or a few more minutes for all we know."

Trunks, Tarble, and Tapion rushed outside and leapt off the edge of the lookout. "Follow me," said Trunks. "I'm pretty sure I know where the first battle with the androids took place. Piccolo's body should be there."

They were soon flying above the ocean. The vast expanse of water was one thing that had remained entirely unchanged by the androids' reign. In fact, the oceans had more fish than ever before since most of the fishermen were either dead or too afraid for their lives to fish.

The island came into view within thirty minutes. It looked like a barren lump of rubble. There were a few skeletal structures left standing, and many areas were overgrown with vegetation, but the heart of the city seemed the way the androids had left it.

"So this is where the androids first attacked?" asked Tarble when they landed.

"That's right," replied Trunks. "All he Z-Fighters except me and Gohan perished here in a battle with them. None of us have come here since because there was nothing left here for us…or so we thought."

The trio began sifting through the rubble in the hopes of finding a body.

Tarble came across a skeleton in saiyan armor. "Hey Trunks, come here. I think I found…Vegeta…"

Trunks landed near his uncle with a solemn expression; looking over the corpse carefully. "I think you're right uncle. Mom said he would always wear clothes like that. It has to be him."

"That's Vegeta all right," came a cool voice that startled them. "I still remember the day when I killed him."

"Android 17!" Trunks immediately powered up to his super saiyan state. "Why are you here?"

Tapion's eyes widened and a smile crossed his face. "Trunks! You're a super saiyan now. That's great."

Tarble looked at Trunks' golden aura with awe. _So he's a super saiyan? That…that transformation. It looks so…amazing…so powerful. It's hard to believe that such a power isn't enough to beat the androids. _

"We'll have to take him together," said Tapion, as he got ready to fight.

"So you're one of the androids?" Tarble also got ready to fight.

"Be careful uncle," said Trunks. "He's strong enough take on a super saiyan."

Seventeen raised an eyebrow and looked over at Tarble. "Uncle? I thought you looked like Vegeta. I guess that makes you Vegeta's brother."

"Stay back," said Trunks as he stepped forward and drew his sword. "Don't jump in unless you're sure I need help."

Tarble and Tapion nodded. Each, in their own way, understood the power of the super saiyans and wouldn't want to get in the way of one.

Seventeen chuckled. "Are you sure you wouldn't want any help Trunks? You do remember what happened last time don't you?"

"I can tell that your sister isn't here," said Trunks. "That means that the odds are more in our favor."

Seventeen took his fighting stance. "Fine. If you feel like being humiliated, I won't stop you."

With a battle cry, Trunks rushed forward and swung his sword at the android. Seventeen smirked and easily dodged the attack. Trunks then tried a sideswiped, but Seventeen leapt over him and elbowed him in the back.

"Your pathetic Trunks," said Seventeen as he watched Trunks fall forward. "Gohan was far stronger than you. I'd say you're only about half as strong as he was."

Tarble and Tapion tensed up, but knew better than to jump in. Neither one of them would be a match for the android if he could knock Trunks down so easily.

Getting back up, Trunks let out an angry growl. "That was a cheap shot. Don't think it'll happen again."

As the super saiyan swung his blade again, Seventeen reached out and caught the sword. He grinned as Trunks struggled to free the sword.

"Are you sure you won't be needing their help?"

"Shut up android!" Letting go of the sword, Trunks backed up and raised his arms. "Finish Buster!"

Throwing the sword aside, Seventeen caught the blast with both arms and with a little effort, redirected it upwards. The android then triumphantly dusted off his hands.

Trunks lunged at Seventeen and tried to punch him, but doubled over as the android landed a blow to his gut. Seventeen then hit him with a kick to the head, sending the young super saiyan into one of the few remaining buildings, casing the skeletal structure to collapse.

Trunks blanked out, his hair reverting to its original color.

"No! Trunks!" Picking up the sword, Tapion rushed at Seventeen and proceeded to attack him with it.

Tarble began focusing his energy, causing an electric blue aura to surround him. _I hope this works. Tapion will have to keep the android there if I'm to have a clear shot._

Tapion was much weaker than Trunks, so Seventeen didn't need to dodge the sword. He could easily fend off all of Tapion's attacks by simply blocking with his bare hands.

Tapion tried to stab Seventeen between the eyes, but the android caught the blade barehanded. He chuckled at how powerless his enemy was. "I see your point."

"Don't mock me!" Tapion tried to pull the blade back and ended up stumbling when the android let go.

Laughing loudly, Seventeen didn't notice what was going on behind. "I think I remember you from before, mow hock man. So where did you disappear to? Were you in some sort of secret training, cause from the looks of it, you haven't improved at all."

Ignoring Seventeen's goading, Tapion looked over at Tarble before smiling. Leaping out of the way, he yelled "now!"

"Galic Gun!" Thrusting his arms out, Tarble allowed all of the energy he had charged up to rush out towards the android.

Seventeen's eyes widened as he turned around in time to see the attack seconds before impact. The blast threw up a dust cloud around him.

"Yes! Direct hit!"

"Can you tell if he's still alive?" asked Tapion, landing next to him.

Tarble shook his head. "My scouter wouldn't be able to pick up his power level because he's an android. We'll have to wait and se-"

Tapion's eyes widened as he watched Tarble skidding to a halt on the ground several feet behind him. He turned back to the smoke cloud in time to receive a punch to the face, which sent him bouncing on the ground before crashing into an old automobile.

Seventeen frowned as he dusted off his clothes. "You idiots got my clothes dirty. Too bad; I was going to toy with you two a little longer, but your more trouble than fun so I'll kill you now."

"That won't be happening anytime soon!"

Seventeen, Tarble, and Tapion turned their attention to the figure that was standing on top of the metal frame of what used to be a building.

Seventeen recognized the hairstyle from his data files. "Goku?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I assume you're talking about my son, Kakarot. My name is Bardock."

Seventeen crossed his arms as a smile returned to his face. "So you're Goku's father? This'll be fun. I suppose fighting you is as close as I'll get to actually fighting Goku."

"I've come to put a stop to you," said Bardock as he landed in front of Seventeen.

Trunks' eyes opened and he rubbed his sore head. "Wh-What happened?"

"Trunks!" After getting his nephew's attention, Tarble directing him to look at Bardock who was about to fight Seventeen.

"Do you know him uncle?"

"I remember hearing about him some time ago. I think his name is Bardock. He was classified as a low level saiyan, but his power grew to incredible levels."

"I've got to step in," said Trunks as he stood up. "He doesn't stand a chance against that android."

"Stop Trunks," said Tarble. "We don't know exactly how strong Bardock has become. We should wait and see how the battle goes before jumping in."

"Let's see how tough you really are, Bardock." Seventeen extended his hand and fired a yellow beam of energy. The blast seemed to hit Bardock and demolish the skeletal structure behind him.

However, when the smoke cleared there was no sign of Bardock's body. Everyone was stunned and didn't know what to make of it.

Seventeen frantically looked from side to side. "Where'd he go?"

Bardock kept his power concealed as he hovered several feet in the air. Seventeen's back was to him, making him vulnerable to attack. Focusing ki in his right arm, he rushed at the android and rammed into his back, sending him flying into the rubble.

"Eat this!" Bardock then threw the energy from his right hand at the downed android, resulting in a huge explosion.

"Yeah!" Trunks pumped his fist in the air. _He's stronger than I thought, but I doubt Seventeen would go down so easily._

"Impressive," came a voice from the dust cloud. "You really caught me off guard, but it'll cost you, dearly."

"That's it!" Trunks powered up into his super saiyan state. "I'm stepping in."

As he rushed at Bardock, Seventeen was caught off guard and sent flying into the distance by a punch from Trunks.

"Who are you?" asked Bardock in a demanding tone. "I can tell that you're a super saiyan, and that little guy over there is Prince Tarble."

"We can exchange life stories later," said Trunks. "I'll hold that guy off as long as I can. Could you help the other two find someone. We came here looking for a Namekian."

"Piccolo? He's supposed to be dead by now."

"He isn't," said Trunks. _This guy…he reminds me of Gohan, but who is he? Why does he know Piccolo's name? How does he know about the super saiyans?_

Seventeen stood up and dusted his clothes. "So you're back in the fight Trunks. You never did know when to quit. I guess I'll have to eliminate you first."

Trunks turned to the other three. "Do it now! I'll hold him back!"

Seventeen chuckled. "Whatever you're planning won't work."

"Don't worry android," said Trunks as he turned back to glare at Seventeen. "You'll only be fighting me. They've got something else to do."

"Fair enough. I'll kill you, and then dispose of them. Or maybe I'll let them live since they'll never ever be a threat to me or my sister."

Trunks began exchanging blows with the android. This time he was more focused and mindful of his opponent. The two seemed even as they blocked and dodged each other's punches and kicks.

Tarble began to feel strange vibration emanating from Trunks as he continued to exchange blows with the android. _This must be what Trunks and Tapion meant when they said they could sense energy. I must be picking it up, but I'll still need my scouter for the time being._

As he scanned the ground, Tarble saw a small green speck. It didn't seem special, but the saiyan seemed compelled to check it out. Landing next to it, he began to clear away the rubble until he saw a green arm sticking out.

"Hey! Tapion! Bardock!" After calling out those names, he turned back to the arm and began uncovering more of the body.

"Did you find him?" asked Tapion as he and Bardock landed behind Tarble.

"I did, this is definitely a Namekian." After moving a few large chunks of concrete, Tarble pulled Piccolo's battered body out of the rubble. "Trunks! We found him!"

"You did?" Breaking away from his struggle with the android, Trunks looked down at the others as they checked Piccolo's vital signs.

Seventeen followed Trunks' gaze and cracked up at the scene below him. "Wow. I thought his body would be more…decomposed by now. But come on, why would you guys risk your lives to come find a dead body?"

"He's still alive," said Bardock to Tapion and Tarble.

Seventeen caught what the saiyan had said and his eyes widened. _Eighteen will be pissed when she finds out that the green man's still alive. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to eliminate him and act as if nothing ever happened. _

Seeing the android heading for his friends, Trunks phased in front of him. "Sorry, no androids allowed!"

"You do realize I've been toying with you Trunks. I don't know how the green man's still, alive, but I'll be happy to go through you to get to him."

Tarble and Tapion where under Piccolo's shoulders, holding the Namekian up and ready to leave. Bardock used his psychic powers to contact Trunks, knowing full well that they could not defeat the android.

"_Trunks! It's me Bardock!"_

"_How are you-"_

"_That's not important. Just get down here and put your hand on my shoulder or something. I have a technique that can get us out of here, but you'll all have to stay connected to me for it to work."_

"_Alright, I'll trust you Bardock, and I hope this works."_

Slowly backing away, Trunks landed next to Bardock and placed a hand on his shoulder. Bardock then placed his hand on Tapion's shoulder and touched the index and middle fingers of his free hand to his forehead.

"You think standing together will help you?" Seventeen smirked broadly. "I can put all five of you out within minutes."

The android rushed forward at the group of five. His targets seemed like sitting ducks, as they made no attempt to move. He got within ten feet, then a moment later; his fist was raised, ready to punch Trunks' lights out. Seventeen's eyes locked with Trunks' for a second before he swung his fist, however, his blow never connected. They had vanished in the blink of an eye and the android only hit air.

Looking around with wide eyes, Seventeen's mouth gaped. _They're gone! How did they do that? Man, this is one big headache._

With nothing else to do, the android decided to leave.

* * *

I've had the idea of Piccolo secretly surviving the androids' reign for a while now. I decided to throw this in there since I thought it would make for a great fight scene, and because the new Z-Fighters will need all the help they can get if they want to overcome all of their enemies.


	4. Secrets Revealed

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

* * *

Piccolo's eyes felt heavy for the first time in over a decade. In fact, ever since his battle with the androids, he was incapable of any feeling or thought. For all he knew, this was just after the androids' first attack. The thing that surprised him the most was the voices he heard. He could recognize Korin, Kami and Mr. Popo, but the majority of voices were unknowns.

Piccolo instinctively tried to open his eyes and sit up, but found his body immobile. He couldn't do anything. In a sense, he was cut off from the outside, though Kami appeared to have detected his semi consciousness. A few seconds later, an image of the elder namek appeared.

"It's good to know that you're alright Piccolo," said Kami.

"Yeah I'll bet," replied Piccolo rudely. "You need me because if I die, then you go with me."

Kami shook his head. "You haven't changed a bit Piccolo, but I guess that is to be expected. You've only just woken up after being out of action for eighteen years. In a sense, time had stopped for you for that exact period of time."

Piccolo was shocked. "What are you talking about old man? The last thing I remember is being beaten by the androids. Now I'm in this semiconscious state, and talking to you. What's going on?"

"Ah yes, the androids. You would've died against them, but I was able to save you by sacrificing the dragonballs?"

"I don't understand. How would sacrificing them save me?"

"It was easier for us to die because, in addition to maintaining our own life force like all living beings, we had the strain of maintaining the dragonballs as well. It was minute and didn't make any difference in our lives, but in a critical situation like the one eighteen years ago, it made the difference between life and death for us. By sacrificing the dragonballs and the strain that accompanied them, I was able to keep you alive."

"Then why didn't I get a senzu bean earlier?" asked Piccolo angrily. "I could've helped out!"

"While I was able to save your life, you still teetered on the edge of death and as a result, I was sent into a coma. Nobody could sense you, and Gohan was too busy down on Earth to come up to the lookout and find out the truth. As for Mr. Popo, he insisted on staying by my side until help arrived. You should thank him Piccolo. In taking care of me, he provided life support to you as well."

"So what now? What happened with the others, and the androids? Were the androids defeated?"

Kami shook his head. "No, the exact opposite happened. All of the Z-fighters except Gohan, and Vegeta's son, Trunks, were killed shortly after you were defeated. The androids have controlled the planet for many years, while Gohan struggled against them. Even Gohan and Trunks' super saiyan transformations weren't enough to defeat the androids."

"You're kidding. How could machines stand up to super saiyans?"

"That's what Vegeta thought before he was killed."

Piccolo's eyes widened. "Vegeta was a super saiyan?"

Kami solemnly nodded. "Yes, and the androids still overwhelmed him. Each one could stand up to a single super saiyan, and they both seem to have a limitless supply of energy, though that does not mean infinite strength."

"So you're saying that they never get tired?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, and as you know, their presence cannot be sensed."

"So what's happened now? Who found me?"

"It was Vegeta's son, Trunks. He found you and he also found some other allies. You'll meet them when you're fully awake. These allies will come in handy against the androids, but now we also have newer threats to worry about. Being a super saiyan, Trunks should be able to handle most of them, but the future is still uncertain."

"What about Gohan? What happened to him?"

Kami's face darkened. "I'm sorry Piccolo. We haven't a clue about what happened to Gohan. He disappeared several years ago and we haven't seen him since. After I woke up, Trunks told me that he had ruled out the possibility that the androids killed him, but we have no idea where he could be."

Piccolo growled in agitation, showing that he was upset.

"I'll leave you alone now Piccolo. You'll need to build up your strength before you wake up." Kami left, leaving Piccolo to his own thoughts.

* * *

Bulma was worried about Trunks, Tarble, and Tapion. She knew that it wasn't healthy to worry as much as she did, but it couldn't be helped. The androids were a constant threat and the fact that her own son was out in a world where they could be lurking around any corner frightened her. However, she also knew that Trunks was growing up, and that he could still hold his own against the androids.

Gure was in her and Tarble's room, sleeping. Bulma somewhat envied her ability to push the problems out of her head and relax, even under the constant threat of the androids. Gure knew that the androids could attack west city at any time, but was still able to go to her room and nap.

_It must be because she's been living under Freeza's thumb her entire life_, thought Bulma. She then turned her attention to the TV. It still worked and there were still some programs and news stations running. _Perhaps that will take these troubles off my mind._

Picking up the remote, she turned the TV on and began flipping through the channels. Most of them were just static since most broadcasting stations had been destroyed, but there were also a surprisingly large number of Cartoon channels, that still ran, particularly those like 'Dora the Explorer.'

Eventually, she found one the piqued her interest. It was one of the few televised news channels left. There were still a handful of brave people willing to put their own lives at risk to provide visual news to those who still had TVs.

There was a man standing in the middle of a city. The place was surprisingly intact, indicating that it was not the site of an android attack. Clothes were scattered across the streets, as if the people had been sucked out of them.

News Report:

"_The only thing we can be certain of right now is that the androids were not the cause of this, for if they were, there wouldn't be any intact buildings. Whoever or whatever the mystery killer was, the fact is that these people didn't stand a chance._

_Reporter instructed the cameraman to zoom in on a bullet, which was in his hand. _

"_This bullet is one of many that litter the ground here and is proof that the inhabitants tried to defend themselves. There were no alarm calls for any sort of assistance as there would be in an android attack, meaning that the killer was far too stealthy and efficient at killing." The reporter took a deep breath and stared into the TV with a grim expression. "This reporter urges viewers to stay in doors and be vigilant. We never know where the killer could strike next."_

End

Bulma felt a sudden chill down her spine as the news report ended. She felt like a child again, too scared to be home alone. Getting up from her seat, Bulma began rushing through the house and securing all the windows and doors, making sure that they were all locked and that the curtains were closed over them.

As she finished up on the ground floor and was about to go upstairs, she paused at the stairwell. _Maybe I'm over reacting. Ginger Town is far away from here…but that report was ten days old. Any super powered being could bridge that distance within that time._

She shook her head in a futile attempt to calm her anxiety. _Why would a killer come to a has-been place like West City? There are far more promising places to go._ It wasn't enough to calm her, and an anxious Bulma continued up the stairs. _It never hurts to be careful._

After closing all the curtains upstairs, including those in the room Gure was sleeping in, Bulma decided to wait downstairs for Trunks, Tarble, and Tapion to return.

* * *

Trunks, and Tarble were getting ready t leave. They were both aware of the constant threat of the androids and thought it best that they got back home before it became too dark.

"I'll stay here," said Tapion. "The vantage point of the lookout will give me a better chance of spotting Hoy, and Kami might be able to find a method of permanently sealing Hirudegarn."

Trunks nodded. "I'll tell mom that you'll be staying up here." He then gave Tapion his sword back. "Here. I think you could make better use of it than me. I haven't had much chance to use it effectively when fighting as a super saiyan."

Tapion nodded and accepted the sword. "Take care Trunks, Tarble."

Trunks nodded, then turned his attention to Bardock, who had been standing off on his own with crossed arms. "What about you? Will you be staying here as well?"

"I will. Like Tapion said, this place has a much better vantage point."

"Good luck to both of you," said Mr. Popo. "Fly safely."

Trunks and Tarble both nodded and then took off towards West City.

On the way, Trunks decided to ask Tarble about his saiyan family. Nobody he knew before could've ever told him about his grandfather, and both Gohan and his mother had treated his father as a sensitive subject around him. He wanted answers and he knew that his uncle was the best source.

"Um…Uncle Tarble? I was hoping you could tell me what my father was like."

Tarble turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "You mean your mother hasn't told you?"

Trunks shook his head. "No. She is always vague on him, as if there's something about him that she doesn't want me to know."

Tarble's expression became serious. "Do you know who Freeza was?" Trunks nodded. "Your father was taken from his family by Freeza when he was still a child. By then, I had been sent away to a distance planet, but I still knew that was going to happen. Freeza feared the saiyans in general, but decided to turn Vegeta into his puppet. This was because your father was a very talented saiyan warrior. He was more than just strong for his age. I even heard that he had surpassed our father, your grandfather, when he was still a child."

Trunks was filled with pride at the thought of his father as a saiyan protégé. Gohan had always been proud of knowing how great his father was, and now he knew what it felt like. However, he was still curious. Tarble hadn't gotten to his personality yet, and even while he said those flattering things about Vegeta, he maintained a grim and serious expression.

"This might be hard for you to here Trunks," said Tarble seriously, "but it's the truth and there is a light at the end of the tunnel so please bear through this."

"I understand," replied Trunks. _ Even if I don't like it, I'd rather know the truth._

"Your father wasn't a very nice older brother," said Tarble. "He wasn't evil, but let's just say that he had a mean streak. He would always pick on me, but he never did anything that would cause me serious harm. However, under Freeza, his mischievousness was molded into ruthlessness. Your father is currently infamous across the galaxy as one of Freeza's most powerful henchmen, and as a destroyer of worlds. My guess is, he came to Earth to purge it of all life, but ended up falling in love with your mother. I can't say for sure since I don't know what kind of history he has with this planet. I can say this though; he was never a monster like Freeza, just a used warrior with a mean streak. However, I came to Earth knowing that he would help me…if he were alive."

Trunks nodded solemnly. "Thank you uncle. I needed to hear that. Even though I don't like knowing that side of him…I know my mom has the missing piece of the story."

"Don't worry Trunks," said Tarble. "I'm sure Vegeta care's about you. He cared about e when we were kids, though he pretended not to, he actually got me out of some…dangerous situations."

Flashback

"_Help! Someone please help!" Tarble, in yet another failed attempt to fly, had gotten himself stuck on a pillar of rock in the middle of a deep gorge. He had expended most of his energy when he made the jump that landed him there, and was now trapped._

"_Pathetic as always little brother," said Vegeta as he hovered over his younger brother. "Didn't you realize how dangerous it was?"_

"_Vegeta, please help me."_

_With a broad smirk, Vegeta extended his hand, allowing Tarble to grab hold. With his younger brother secure he said, "going up." He threw Tarble into the air, and watched with amusement as his younger brother landed out of the gorge._

_Tarble wasn't hurt, but he felt shaken from the fall. "Why'd you do that Vegeta? That wasn't nice."_

"_Well I'm not nice."_

_Tarble stared at the ground with an ashamed look. "I guess I'm never going to fly." He started crying._

_Vegeta let out a cruel laugh. "I'll teach you how to fly."_

"_Y-You will?"_

"_Sure. That way, I won't have to waste time saving your life. Now get up slacker. Let's get this over with."_

End

"Wow, so my dad taught you how to fly?" Trunks was smiling again.

Tarble nodded. "Yes, and even though he'd probably deny it, I think he cared for you as well."

Trunks and Tarble both noticed that they were near West city. It only took them a minute or so to reach Capsule Corp's front door. However, the door was locked, so Trunks had to find the spare key.

He typed in a combination on a nearby keypad, which opened a secret compartment where the spare key was.

Bulma had gone downstairs for a comfort snack when he heard the door unlocking. She cautiously approached the door and crouched nearby, with fists clenched, ready to attack the intruder. _Oh no! Someone's trying to break in. _

When the door opened, Trunks was startled as a fist came flying at him, accompanied by a scream from the attacker. He dodged it easily and then saw his mother huddling on the ground, as if expecting to be hit back. "Um…mom? What are you doing?"

Bulma felt silly as she looked up and saw her son and brother in-law standing over her with raised eyebrows. Getting back up, she caught her breath. "Trunks, I think there's a problem."

"Yeah, the androids, and the other new threats that have been popping up."

"No…there's something else out there."

"What do you mean?" asked Trunks as he put the key back in its compartment.

"Let's sit down. I'll explain what I saw."

* * *

I know that was a rotten way to end the chapter, but I simply ran out of steam, and this chapter was long enough anyway. I'll probably skip the explanation in the next chapter and skip to Trunks' and Tarble's reaction to the situation. I'm sure you've all guessed who the new threat is. As for Piccolo surviving, this story is actually a combination of several ideas I had for the Mirai Timeline. Instead of writing several stories, each based on those ideas, I've decided to merge them into one story.


	5. A Monster?

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

* * *

Bulma's outburst had woken Gure, who came down to see what was going on. "What's wrong Bulma? Did something happen?"

Taking a deep breath, Bulma calmed down and then said "I just saw a scary news broadcast. Why don't we talk in the kitchen?"

The group entered the kitchen and sat down at the table. Trunks gave his mother a concerned look. "I can tell that your news report, was really messed up. Normal news broadcasts, even those about the androids, never freak you out this much."

"It was about this strange creature that killed everyone in a town. According to the reports, the people appeared to have been sucked out of their clothing." Bulma let out a deep sigh. "I was so worried that it might be nearby. I guess I just panicked and became very anxious."

Trunks nodded, and donned a serious face. "Well whatever spooked you is probably going to come here at some point. That worries me. I didn't sense a thing, so I don't know how powerful it is."

Tarble began counting off all the villains they'd have to fight. "Let's see…there are two androids, and Hirudegarn…Abo and Cado, and now this new creature. That means that there are six threats to the world right now."

"That's sounds difficult," said Gure. "How many of them do you know you can beat?"

"We can definitely handle Abo and Cado," said Trunks. "However, the androids will be difficult to beat, though I know it's not impossible. Hirudegarn on the other hand, is a major problem. I'm not sure how we can take that thing down. It seems almost unstoppable, and like I said, I have no idea how powerful this new creature is."

"It looks like you've got your work cut out for you," said Bulma as she started boiling the teakettle. "I'll make us all some tea, and you can tell us what happened while you were out, and why Tapion didn't return with you."

"All right. I'll start from when we left for the lookout. We found out that Kami was still alive, but he was in a coma. Piccolo was also in a coma, but still alive, though the dragonballs can't be used anymore."

Bulma was shocked about Piccolo's survival. "So Piccolo's been alive all these years, and we didn't know it?"

"That's right. I'm not sure how, but Kami sacrificed the dragonballs, to preserve their life force. I think Mr. Popo said that maintaining the dragonballs was a strain on them, and that Kami was able to save their lives by sacrificing the dragonballs before it was too late, though they were left in a coma."

Tarble became serious at that point as he recalled the battle with Seventeen. "That android was really tough, and we only fought one of them. It was four on one and we still struggled through it, and in the end we had to run away." He left a sigh escape his lips. "It'll be really tough to be them, and I have no idea how powerful they really are."

Bulma arched an eyebrow. "Four on one? Did Piccolo wake up or something, because last I checked, there were only here of you. That is, unless Gohan reappeared."

Trunks shook his head as disappointment overtook him. "I wish he was there though. If Gohan had been there, we would've won, but I wasn't able to harm the android, even if I was a super saiyan. Anyway, the fourth fighter was Bardock, Goku's father. He came to Earth from space to help us."

"Goku's…father?" Bulma was now curious about Bardock. Goku had never talked about his father, and in fact, had no memory of him. She never thought that he'd end up coming to Earth to help fight against the androids.

"Anyway, Bardock used some technique, I think it was called instant transmission, to let us escape the android. Bardock, and Tapion decided to stay up on the lookout; they could easily watch over the Earth from there."

"What about Piccolo," asked Bulma.

"He's still in a coma," replied Trunks. "I'm not sure when he'll come out of it, but at least we know that he's safe."

Soon the tea was ready, but after they had finished, Trunks decided to go back to his room for a while. However, as he was about to mount the stairs, Tarble caught up to him.

"You don't need to blame yourself Trunks," said Tarble. "I know what it's like to feel as if you're not as strong as you should be. I was sent away from Planet Vegeta because I couldn't fight properly. I wasn't nearly as strong as your father. But I moved past that, and now I'm much stronger than anyone thought I'd be."

Trunks sighed. "I just don't think I measure up to Gohan. He was considered to be a threat to androids. As for me, I'm just a nuisance, even though I'm a super saiyan like he was."

"I'm sure you'll get there eventually. How long did it take Gohan to become a threat to them?"

"I don't know, but when he was my age, they were concerned about his growing power. The androids were actually worried that he'd end up stronger than them."

"They're probably just as concerned about you surprising them," said Tarble. "That's probably why they try to put you down, so you won't have the drive to push your self farther. If you just ignore all their negative press, I'm sure you'll be able to defeat them."

"Thank you uncle," replied Trunks as a smile returned to his face. He then mounted the stairs and went up to his room, albeit with an improved mood.

* * *

Seventeen wasn't in a good mood when his sister found him. He was sulking in a mountaintop, near where they lived, the scowl on his face telling her that he was upset about something.

Arching an eyebrow, she flashed him a playful smirk, leaning down to see his face. Upon seeing his agitated expression, she broke out into laughter, which earned her a glare. "You're face is so priceless!" After her laughter died down, she asked the obvious question. "What's got you all wound up?"

"You won't like it."

She put her hands on her hips and gave him a skeptical look. "Try me."

"I met that guy…Trunks, and he had a few friends."

She grinned down at him. "So they kicked your butt?"

Looking up into her eyes, she shot him a glare. "No!"

Raising her hands peacefully, she said "fine, sorry for saying that. So what did they do? I haven't seen you this ticked off since Gohan surpassed you."

"They got away. I don't know how, but they just disappeared. I had them, and then lost them." He clenched his fists as his anger boiled up. "Next time…I'll kill them!"

Eighteen sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's just like you to throw a tantrum when you don't get your way. I'll bet that you'd forget about this by the time we see him again, and then you'll suggest that we spare them for future amusement."

Seventeen mumbled something incoherent before standing up, and stretching; he had been sitting like that for hours, so his back needed it. "How about we go terrorize a town. I need to blow off some steam."

Eighteen shrugged in response. "Sure, why not. It's been a while since our last killing spree." She led the way as they flew off to find a nearby city to terrorize. The planet was a big place, and even though they had killed most, some people rebuilt their cities, when the androids didn't visit their region for some time.

* * *

Bardock scanned the Earth below him, pacing around the outer rim of the lookout so he could effectively watch over the entire planet. Kami found this amusing. "I thought guarding the Earth was my job," joked the guardian.

"I'm worried about what's going on down there. My grandson's down there somewhere, but I haven't seen any trace of him, even though this is my eighth lap."

Kami chuckled lightly. "Even I cannot see everything below by simply looking down. Don't spend too much time worrying about him. He's grown into a fine young man, and I'm sure he can take care of himself…wherever he is."

"To be honest, he's the only reason I'm alive now."

Kami was surprised. "Really? How so? I thought he wasn't born when your home planet was destroyed."

"It's kind of a long story, but basically, on this plant called Kanasa, I received psychic powers that allowed me to see into the future, though I don't have them anymore. When I was about to die along with Planet Vegeta, I saw a vision of my grandson dying in a battle with the androids. I became so upset, and found a new motivation to live. I thought I would be able to make a difference against the androids."

Kami nodded in understanding. "That was a noble effort. I can see the family resemblance between you and your son and grandson. You have the same inner strength that they had."

"Yeah…I'd expect as much," replied Bardock proudly. _Looks like I don't have to worry about them growing soft on this planet._

"There is something that you need to know," said Kami. "I've been sensing a disturbance down below, ever since I regained consciousness."

"Is it that Hirudegarn creature?"

"No," replied Kami, shaking his head. "It's something I haven't sensed before, and it's been killing many people, before slipping back into the shadows. I can't even track it down with my senses, so it's an expert at stealth. As I fear, this could be an even greater threat than the androids."

Bardock cupped his chin thoughtfully. "This is definitely something I didn't count on. Looks like we've really got our work cut out for us. Were you at least able to gauge its strength?"

"I'm afraid not. Its power is masked, and even when I do sense it, I can't determine its strength. It seems to cloud my ability to sense it."

"Then I guess all we can do is wait until in strikes again." Letting out a sigh, Bardock started walking back into the palace. "It's getting late, so I'll be turning in. Take care."

* * *

A little girl ran through the streets of an almost empty town. The only other occupant of the area was somewhere behind her, or so she thought. She ran into a closet and shut the door tightly.

The girl had no concept of escaping the town she had spent her entire life in, all she wanted to do was live through the night, and wake up to find that it was only a dream. She knew the one responsible was not an android, but something much scarier.

As she shivered, and tried to stay quiet, there were footsteps outside the closet, but they were on the wrong side. Her eyes widened as she realized that the creature was standing directly behind her. Soon, it broke through the wall and stabbed the girl with its tail.

The girl screamed in pain and terror, though it quickly died down she was literally sucked out of her clothes. The beast chuckled as it absorbed yet another victim, though its appetite would never be quenched.

The monster's eyes gleamed as it left the city. _Seventeen and Eighteen…I'm coming for you, and when I do, I will finally be complete._ It knew that the next town was only a short distance away, and that it was one that the androids hadn't touched yet. The beast wet its appetite, as it got ever closer to its next feast.

* * *

This chapter was shorter than I thought, though it was meant to introduce Cell into the storyline. Also, I now have an idea of what happened to Gohan.


	6. Chaos

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

* * *

Seventeen and Eighteen had been searching for hours before they found a town with a sizable population. By that time, it was already morning though the androids didn't feel tired; they could go on for hours without feeling worn out.

Upon seeing the city, the pair didn't waste anytime before blowing things up. They started with the buildings, laughing at the screams and chaos they generated. As the first buildings fell, people poured out onto the streets from those still standing, making themselves targets. Those in the damaged buildings were either killed in the blast of died in the fall as they tried to leap onto the ground. Still others chose to hide inside the buildings, under desks or in closets, hoping that those outside would serve as a diversion.

Satisfied with the chaos they had caused, the androids took to the streets, blasting away at the screaming crowds. They had their own distinct styles of killing. Eighteen went for the direct approach, hitting the people with ki blasts, while Seventeen preferred to play around, and killed people through indirect means, such as blasting a nearby building to kill people with falling debris.

"So has your mood improved?" asked Eighteen as she blasted a group of men who had tried to shoot her.

"I think so," replied Seventeen, "though I still want to hurt him…badly."

Eighteen rolled her eyes. "Off course you do; we always do. So how about a little game?"

Seventeen raised an eyebrow, interested at the prospect. "What kind of game?"

"There are a lot of people trying to shoot us from the buildings. People on the ground are one point; people on rooftops of in the buildings are worth five points. The one with the most points wins."

A broad, and malicious grin appeared on his face. "That sounds fun."

As the sun began to rise, Trunks, and Tarble went up to the lookout to meet with Kami, and the others. They had to develop a plan of action, because randomly going from one fight to anther wouldn't get them any closer to saving the Earth.

Bardock, Tapion, and Kami were waiting on the edge of the lookout, watching the Earth below for any signs of activity. Mr. Popo was inside watching over Piccolo.

Kami was the first to notice the new arrivals, and looked up at them with a smile. "Ah, Trunks, Tarble, good to see you both. I hope you slept well."

Trunks nodded courteously, before replying. "We did, but there's a new enemy we have to fight. My mother saw a news report about it. There's a creature on the loose, and it apparently feeds on people…or at least sucks people out of their clothing. Have you sensed it?"

Kami nodded affirmatively. "Yes…I am well aware that there's a mysterious new threat on the loose, though during the brief instances when I have been able to sense it, I have been unable to gauge its strength. I'm afraid I cannot tell you what you are up against."

Bardock looked to the skies, and said, "I can sense two power levels approaching the Earth. They should be here by tomorrow night at the earliest, though they're not too strong to handle."

"Those must be Abo and Cado, Freeza's remnant forces," stated Tarble. "Maybe we should devote our attention to them the moment they arrive. We can definitely beat them, so we might as well get them out of the way."

"I agree," added Tapion. "The fewer threats we've got, the better, and the lower threats could work as stepping stones, to help us practice for the higher threats. As for Hirudegarn, it will probably be at least a week before Hoy is ready to unleash him. He used up a lot of energy breaking me out of the music box."

"I suppose for now, it would be wise to go over your strengths and weaknesses, so you may strive to improve yourselves in the appropriate area," suggested Kami. "You know that you can beat Abo and Cado, but the creature remains a wild card. As for the androids, your current level of power won't do, and that's especially true for Hirudegarn."

"Sounds like a plan," commented Bardock. However, a set of explosions below caught their attention, and they all looked down to see a town being destroyed. "It must be the androids," said Bardock angrily.

"That's them," replied Trunks. "They've always been fond of explosions." He powered up to super saiyan. "We should go down there and try to help those people."

"I agree," stated Kami, "but you must be careful. Don't try to defeat the androids, just hold them at bay, before retreating." However, as they were about to leave, Kami's eyes widened as he sensed a mass death occurring elsewhere. "It must be the creature! It's attacking a town as well."

Trunks clenched his fists in frustration. "What should we do? We need our strength for the androids, but we can't ignore everyone else!"

"Calm down," said Bardock, tightening his headband. "You three go fight the androids. I'll check out this creature. If anything goes wrong, I can use instant transmission to escape it."

Trunks nodded. "Alright, but be careful." He then flew towards the androids, followed by his uncle and Tapion. From the lookout, I didn't take them too long to arrive at the besieged town, and a sight Trunks found too familiar greeted them. The super saiyan growled angrily at the sight of dead bodies, pilled on top of each other.

It didn't take them a long time to find the androids, which were busy attacking people in buildings. The poor humans had long since given up trying to resist and were trying their best to remain hidden.

"Hey Androids," called Trunks, as he and his two companions landed behind the pair. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

They turned to face him with mocking smiles. Eighteen was the first to speak. "If, by that statement, you're referring to yourself, I'm afraid that you're sadly mistaken. You can't even defeat one of us, let alone both of us."

Seventeen looked past Trunks at Tapion and Tarble. "You brought two of your friends along, how nice, though I was looking forward to battling that other guy. What was his name?"

"His name is Bardock," replied Trunks. "Sorry to disappoint you, but he's got something else he needs to do, but we'll be more than happy to oblige you." Trunks, Tarble, and Tapion took their fighting stances.

Eighteen raised an eyebrow as she eyed Tarble. She recognized Tapion, so no introductions were necessary, and she didn't care much for who Bardock was, but Tarble bore an uncanny resemblance to Vegeta, and Trunks. "Who is that guy in the saiyan armor? He reminds me of that stupid saiyan prince we fought some time ago."

"That's Trunks' uncle," replied Seventeen. "He's even more pathetic than his father and nephew." He then turned to his sister with smirk. "However, that Bardock guy was an interesting challenge, he's Goku's father, and while he wasn't very strong, he was tricky."

"Tricky?" Eighteen raised an eyebrow. "And you say he was Goku's father?" She then began laughing. "Figures that any new challenger would drop out of space. I was getting bored of this planet's warrior's anyway." She was obviously referring to Trunks. "After all, they're so bland," she flashed Trunks a mocking smirk.

Trunks felt his blood boil. The androids had dealt a blow to his pride by insulting his family and his abilities as a warrior. He clenched his fists as his flaming aura flared around him.

Tapion drew his sword; Trunks had given it back to him, thinking he would make better use of it. "Calm down Trunks. We need to approach this cautiously. They're just baiting you, so don't charge in recklessly."

"By the way," said Seventeen, "why isn't Bardock here helping you? You said he had something else to do, but what could be more important than defeating us?"

"That's none of you business," replied Trunks. "Now prepare to fight!" He rushed forward to attack Seventeen, while Tarble and Tapion attacked Eighteen.

Seventeen was easily able to block all of Trunks punches, and quickly rammed his fist into the super saiyan's gut. Trunks doubled over, but was quick enough to dodge a double-fisted smash, aimed at his back. He then aimed a ki blast at the android's face, but Seventeen caught it and threw it back. Trunks dodged the blast before trying to punch Seventeen, but the android leaned out of the way, and caught Trunks' arm before swinging him and around and sending him sailing into the sky.

Eighteen yawned as Tarble hit her in the face. He was punching her with all his strength, but she was hardly affected, however, she quickly jumped back as Tapion slashed at her with his sword; she didn't want him to cut her hair.

Eighteen gave her opponents a mocking smile. "Is that all you've got? Come on, it's two against one, yet it seems like you're both moving in slow motion."

Tapion turned to Tarble, who nodded in response before powering up. A blue aura flared around the small saiyan as he shot into the air above Eighteen. Tapion then tried to keep her occupied by engaging her with fancy sword combinations.

Eighteen was barely trying, as she was able to block all of Tapion's sword blows with her wrist. After a few minutes she heard Tarble shout, "Galic Gun Fire!" Raising her right arm, she quickly swatted the blast away with a flick of her wrist before phasing into front of Tarble and doubling him over with a gut punch, and then sending him to the ground with an elbow to the back.

Tapion tried to slash her with his sword, but she caught the blade barehanded, and pulled him in before kneeing him in the gut. The swordsman fell to the ground, with his blade landing a few feet away from him.

At the same time, Trunks was struggling to keep up with Seventeen as he kept tabs on how many people were still in the area. The android was more than twice as strong as he was, but was holding back considerably, hoping to drag out the fight.

* * *

Bardock used instant transmission to appear in the town where the creature was. He could sense a few people nearby; something he had picked up on Yardrat. Running through the streets, he spotted a stray survivor, armed with a gun, and ready for a suicide mission.

"You should leave," said Bardock. "Whatever's here can't be killed by guns."

The man gave Bardock an arrogant smirk. "No way mate. This here is no ordinary gun. It's a light machine gun. It should take that thing out."

Before Bardock could say anything, the monster's tail lashed out, piercing the man's neck, before coiling around him, and pulling him into the shadows. Bardock heard gunshots as the man's screams died down. Then a green, insectoid creature walked out of the alleyway, grinning with its peculiar mouth.

"Ah…that was a satisfying meal." He eyed Bardock with reptilian eyes, recognizing whom he looked like. "Are you…Goku?"

Bardock raised an eyebrow, looking on the creature with disgust. "No…if you must know, I'm his father, Bardock." He saw the creature's grin broaden, and eyed it cautiously. He knew it was holding back and didn't trust it.

"So you're Goku's father…how interesting. I thought you died along with your home planet. This presents an interesting opportunity indeed. I'm sure absorbing you will be most filling."

"So that's what you've been doing to these people?" Bardock leapt out of the way as the creature lashed out with its tail. He then fired a Riot Javelin at the beast, but was shocked as it swiped it out of the way. Keeping a clear head, he used instant transmission to get behind the beast and landed a roundhouse kick to its head. However, he had to retreat as the creature, unfazed by his attack, lashed out again.

"Bardock, it appears that you're a skilled and resourceful warrior, though with a puny power like that, you can't hope to defeat me. Don't be afraid, I'll absorb you into my being and you will be a part of greatness."

"No thanks," replied Bardock coolly as he took off. He could tell that the creature was giving chase, and that it wasn't using its full speed. _ It's toying with me…playing a game of cat and mouse!_

"There's no use running Bardock, you can't escape me." The beast phased in front of the saiyan, and tried to punch him, but missed as Bardock used instant transmission to get away. It sensed Bardock appear several feet away from it and smirked. "That technique of yours isn't getting you very far."

Bardock sensed the people scattering out of the town. There were only a few on them, but he knew that they were all safe for now. For the creature, tracking them all down would be like splitting hairs.

He smiled at the beast. "Sorry, but my time here is done." As it charged towards him, in an attempt to falsify his statement, Bardock used instant transmission to appear on the lookout.

Kami was a bit surprised to see him. "How strange. I never thought you'd run away so soon."

"I was obviously outclassed, besides, my goal was to find out more about the creature, and attempt to gauge its strength, as well as buy time for the civilians to escape. I've learned over the years not to let my saiyan pride get the best of me, and that it can be better to run and fight another day than die fighting."

"You are truly wise Bardock," commented Kami, but his expression then contorted with worry. "We have yet to see an upper limit to the creatures power, but now we know that it's very strong. The only one among us right now who could handle it is Trunks as a super saiyan."

"It gets worse," said Bardock. "The creature absorbs people through its tail, making itself stronger. I don't know if Trunks can beat it right now, let alone after it's absorbed some more people."

"This is most disturbing," replied Kami grimly. "We will have to take it down as soon as possible, before its power gets too large for us to control, though for all we know, it could've already reached that point."

Bardock's eyes widened as he sensed Trunks power level drop. "Darn it! Those androids must've given him a quite a beating. I'd better get over there and bring them all back here!" He quickly placed his middle and index fingers over his forehead before vanishing.

* * *

As Trunks sensed the last few people leaving, he fell to the ground, unconscious. The bruised, battered, and unconscious bodies of Tapion and Tarble were several feet away. Both androids were hovering over them, ominously.

"I'd say that was somewhat amusing," said Seventeen. "How about it Eighteen? Should we kill them?"

She shrugged indifferently. "I don't mind it. They were pathetically weak anyway, so if they can't survive our attacks, they're not worth sparing. Let's just blast them, and leave."

As the androids were about to extend their hands, Bardock appeared in the rubble below, and quickly picked up Trunks, fireman style. He then ran over to the two bodies, grabbing one with his free arm, and the other with his tail, before looking up at the androids.

Bardock felt anger course through him as he stared up at the beings he had seen in his nightmarish visions. "So you're the androids. The ones I came all the way here to defeat."

Eighteen chuckled as if he had made a joke. "You must be Bardock. I can see the family resemblance between you and your son, Goku. I doubt you could ever hope to beat us. From what Seventeen told me, the only thing keeping you in a battle would be your fancy tricks. You have no power behind your attacks."

Bardock knew better than to get angry at their insults, though he still had a powerful desire to shut them up for good. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not ready to fight you today, so goodbye." He disappeared, without given them time to respond.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Seventeen and his sister looked around frantically, but couldn't find any sign of their intended target. "How did he do that?"

"I don' know," replied a frustrated Eighteen. "I can see why you'd call him tricky, he might even be a better escape artist than Gohan was."

Seventeen's lips curled into a malicious grin. "We'll be sure to get him next time, before he has a chance to do that again."

* * *

I know that the fight with Cell was short, but I want to portray Bardock is more tactical and wise, because he has a lot of experience. I'm trying to portray him as aggressive in battle, but smart enough to know when to retreat.


	7. Space Invaders

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

* * *

Trunks slammed his fist into one of the lookout's walls, luckily, he was holding back enough to prevent its destruction. The super saiyan was frustrated had been in a bad mood ever since he woke up one day after passing out on the lookout. "I can't believe how helpless we were!" He let out a frustrated sigh as everyone else stood back, allowing him a much-needed vent. "Those androids…they're far too strong!"

Trunks appeared to be cooling off, so Tarble decided to talk to him. "Trunks…if it means anything, I know that you're strong. Even if the androids are that much stronger than you, I know it's not impossible for you to catch up to him."

"Each one is twice as strong as I am," replied Trunks in a dejected tone. "It took the pain and suffering of thousand of people for me to even become a super saiyan. How am I supposed to bridge that kind of power gap?"

"I'm not sure how a super saiyan works," replied Tarble in an even tone, "but I do remembered what my brother…your father was capable of. While he wasn't a super saiyan, he could easily double his strength within a year. You, being his son, should have that same potential."

"I guess you might be right," said Trunks. "However, I don't think it'll be quite that easy for me. I know I can do it, but will I live long enough, and how many people will die in-between?" He clenched his fists as frustration returned to him. "I wish Gohan was here. If he'd been there with us, then we would've won."

"Don't think like that," came a voice from a nearby doorway into the palace. All eyes turned to see Piccolo walk out in front of them. The Namekian regarded Trunks with a mercilessly serious look. "I've known Gohan since he was a little boy, and I know that he'd never want you to have this kind of defeatist mentality."

"But-"

"Not buts! There's no point in thinking about what might go wrong!" Piccolo didn't bother addressing the obvious confusion from those who had never seen him, and continued his lecture to Trunks. "You're a super saiyan, so why don't you start acting like one. Vegeta never worried about what could go wrong when he was training to defeat his enemies and neither should you!"

Now Trunks felt ashamed. He knew that Piccolo was a veteran fighter and unlike his uncle, he actually knew how super saiyans behaved. He didn't bother apologizing, knowing that it would make him look pathetic and earn him another earful. "You're right Piccolo," replied Trunks with humility.

Piccolo's expression changed from harsh to a more passive look as he gave the super saiyan a nod of acknowledgement. "That's good, make sure it stays that way. He then looked up at the sky. "Kami's been telling me about what's been happening. I suppose those two power levels are Abo and Cado."

"They are," replied Tarble, who knew better than to question Piccolo's harsh lecture. "They're each as powerful as Freeza, though I'm sure we can handle them."

"We can," replied Piccolo, "but it's not because of Trunks being a super saiyan." He turned to Tarble and said, "When you said they were as powerful as Freeza, I think you meant his first form."

"Freeza has transformations?" asked Tarble who was clearly surprised.

"That's correct. Trunks wouldn't have known because he's never sensed Freeza or seen his transformations. I was there to see all but his first form, and Abo and Cado are weaker than his second form."

"I had no idea that they were still weaker than Freeza," replied Tarble. "I guess I began spreading drama for nothing."

"Don't worry," replied Piccolo. "Freeza's first form was the one everyone in the galaxy knew about. His other transformations were kept secret so it's unlikely that you would know about it anyway."

"They should be arriving soon," noted Kami as he stared relentlessly at the sky, already able to see the two spaceships. "They'll be landing in what used to be East City, though now it's a complete wasteland and there won't be anyone around to get hurt."

"That's good," replied Bardock as he tightened his headband. "We could use a taste of victory." Instead of using Instant Transmission, Bardock decided to fly to the area with everyone else, knowing that after the flight, the wait for Abo and Cado would be shorter.

"We should fly at higher altitudes," said Piccolo. "Even though we'll have them out numbered more than two to one, we can't afford an encounter with the androids. We're still not strong enough to beat them."

"Fine by me," said Trunks. "Besides, Android Eighteen will be especially angry if she sees you Piccolo. I'm not sure if Seventeen has told her about you being alive yet."

"I agree," replied Piccolo. "In this situation, it's always good to have the element of surprise." As the others began taking off towards the battleground, Piccolo turned back to Kami. He apparently wanted to talk about something without the others around."

Kami smiled, as he knew what was on his other half's mind. "So you want me to forgo creating a new set of dragonballs? What an interesting request. Why wouldn't you want them back? We might be able to use them to clean up the damage on Earth and bring people back."

"You know that it wouldn't be right to do that in this circumstance. The earthlings know that their loved ones were killed by the androids and that they would have to rebuild all their cities. Suddenly restoring them to their past glory would only confuse them. Besides, even if you just create them, the dragonballs might not be around much longer."

Kami closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them with a knowing smile, as if he had read Piccolo's mind. "I'll have to think it over for a while. I'm not ready to jump into it just yet. You should go with them. First, you will have to determine the extent of you own abilities."

Piccolo grunted in response before flying to catch up with the others. However, upon catching up, he and everyone else sensed a disturbance elsewhere, and Piccolo recognized the pattern from the information Kami had telepathically given him.

"It's the creature again," replied Piccolo. "It's attacking another town."

"I'll deal with it," said Trunks, turning super saiyan in the process. "You guys can handle Abo and Cado. I might be able to test the creature's strength a little more."

"Be careful Trunks," replied Bardock. "Remember to stay clear of its tail. I can absorb you through that. It's also very good at concealing it's power so don't underestimate it."

"I'll try not to," replied Trunks as he changed direction and headed for the nearby town. It was already deserted when he got there, though he still had an eerie feeling that something was still lurking about.

The creature, whatever it was, had hidden itself among the buildings, and Trunks would have to walk through the streets on foot to draw it out. He decided to conserve his strength by powering down. Perhaps if he suppressed his strength, he would be able to draw it out.

The beast stared at the half saiyan from its perch atop a nearby building. He couldn't see it, but he had an eerie feeling that something was watching him. The creature recognized the half saiyan, even though Dr. Gero's androids didn't have data on him.

"Trunks!" The beast hoped down from the building and licked its lips. "I'm glad that you came here."

Trunks froze before turning around to face the creature, instantly transforming into a super saiyan. "What…are you?" He was caught between disgust at the creature's appearance, and anger at what he knew it had done. "And how do you know my name?"

The creature chuckled. "Ah…I look forward to testing my strength against a super saiyan. This will be most enjoyable." It raised its tail, pointing it ominously at Trunks. "This will be satisfying meal."

Trunks wasn't in the mood for cryptic conversation and being left in the dark. "Answer my question!"

Cell wagged his finger at the angry super saiyan. "That would be telling, Trunks. I'm not going to reveal my secret so easily." He got into a fighting position. "But I will tell you one thing. I plan to absorb you into my being and your power will become mine."

"I won't let you!" Extending both his hands, Trunks let loose a powerful blast, blowing up the area in front of him. However, the creature had leapt into the air to dodge it, and Trunks pursued it.

"Do you really thing you can beat me? You're wasting your energy." It fired a one-handed ki blast at Trunks, but the super saiyan dodged and tried to land a punch, which it blocked.

Trunks engaged in hand-to-hand combat with it, and they both clashed in mid-air, causing shockwaves to shake the Earth below them. "You're strong, I can see why Bardock had to retreat from you." He then landed a kick to the side of its head, causing it to jerk sideway, though the creature was otherwise unharmed.

The creature chuckled at Trunks' shocked look as it righted itself. "Is that all you've got? You're not much of a super saiyan after all. I expected more."

Its words seemed to strike a chord in him, and Trunks felt his anger rise. _I am a super saiyan! I won't let this freak insult me!_ With a battle cry, he charged forward to continue the fight.

* * *

Bardock could sense the fight as he, and the others approached the site where Abo and Cado's space pods would land. "He seems to be keeping up with it," said Bardock, "though I have the impression that it's holding back."

"It's beyond us right now," replied Piccolo. "We have to focus on Abo and Cado right now." The Namekian stared up at the two objects that were falling towards them. "There they are."

The space pods burned up like meteors in the Earth's atmosphere, but lost their heat as they changed course and moved parallel to the ground. They swooped in low, a few feet above the Z-Fighter's heads before coming to a landing several feet in front of them. The hatches opened and two fat aliens stepped out. They both looked similar to Dodoria, but with fewer spikes. One was reddish and the other was blue, and both on hand one external ear on their right, and a single small horn atop their head.

Piccolo was unimpressed by the two evildoers and their evil grins. _So theses are Abo and Cado? They don't look so tough. Though they're definitely about as strong as Freeza's first form. They could destroy the planet if they had the chance._

"Better try not to let this drag out," said Bardock in a tone that only Piccolo could hear. "We can't risk having the androids show up from the commotion this fight might cause."

The blue one, Abo, grinned maliciously as he spied Tarble. "Ah…Tarble. You've found some new allies after giving us the slip. I'm afraid this is the end of the line for you."

Tarble knew that they could win, but he also felt slightly stronger after trying his hand against the androids. He knew that there were beings out there that were far stronger than Abo and Cado. "I'm not afraid of either of you. Besides, you had a two on one advantage then."

"I take it you'll fight one of them?" asked Tapion, who received a nod from Tarble. "Alright. Piccolo, Bardock, if you don't mind, I'd like to fight the other one."

"Be my guest," replied Piccolo, as Bardock shrugged casually in agreement. He and Bardock stood aside with crossed arms and Tapion and Tarble squared off against Abo and Cado.

Tarble leapt towards Abo and landed a punch to his nose, catching him of guard. The alien was disoriented as Tarble then phased behind him and sent him face first to the ground with a kick to the back of the head.

Tapion didn't bother using his sword as he dodged every punch Cado tried to land. Then he countered with a ki blast to the face. The alien cried in frustration as he backed away. Taking advantage of his opening, Tapion kicked him in the gut, doubling him over, before sending him into a nearby mountain with a roundhouse.

Before Cado could get up, Abo crashed into him due to being thrown by Tarble. The two aliens were surprised at Tarble's increased strength as well as Tapion's strength. On top of that, they knew that Piccolo and Bardock hadn't fought yet and were probably even stronger.

They were taken aback as they got up and realized that Tarble and Tapion weren't tired at all. Their opponents had them outmatched in fighting skill, though the brothers still had some tricks up their sleeve. The looked to each other and nodded before rising back to their enemy's level.

Bardock raised an eyebrow as he saw Abo and Cado seemingly multiply and surround Tapion and Tarble. "It's an illusion?" He narrowed his eyes before realizing what they really were. "Amazing."

"They can clone themselves," noted Piccolo. "We call it the multiform technique. It has a major disadvantage; the individual's power is divided amongst the clones, so each is considerably weaker. However the technique can still be used to confound an opponent."

Abo and Cado began laughing as they began flying around Tarble and Tapion in a confounding pattern. It was hard for both fighters to keep track of them. Abo took advantage of this and swooped in to knee Tarble in the gut, causing him to double over.

"Tarble!" However, Tapion didn't have time to react as two of Cado's clones each landed a punch to the sides of his head, causing him to drop to the ground.

"Hey! Try to sense their energy," yelled Piccolo. "You can't trust your eyes. Predict them by sensing their movements."

Tarble took a deep breath, trying to take Piccolo's advice and as he stared at the clones of Abo and Cado surrounding him. His eyes widened as he noticed something. _What's this feeling? It's weird…I know where they are!_ He swayed sideways to dodge a punch from an Abo clone before sending it flying back with a punch to the face. The motion shocked his as he realized what had happened. _I…I can sense power levels!_ He removed his scouter and let it fall to the ground; he wouldn't need it anymore.

Bardock looked up with a proud smirk. _Look's like the prince can finally sense energy. He won't have much trouble tracking Abo and Cado now._

The two aliens stopped what they were doing and stared at Tarble in confusion. The saiyan didn't seem to be mesmerized by them anymore. However, they were shaken out of their shock state when Tapion erupted from the ground and slammed his leg into one of Cado's clones, knocking him into the others and causing them to merge back together.

"Look's like we've got this technique of yours figured out," said Tarble. "I don't like fighting, but I know that it is my responsibility to deal with you after you destroyed my wife's home planet."

Abo looked serious as his clones all merged back together. "We still have one technique left." He looked to his brother, who nodded. They both then hovered in the air next to each other before being engulfed by a tornado of energy, and when that had dissipated, a new being stood in their place.

* * *

It;s been so long since I last updated. I'm afraid that my college work will lengthen the time between updates. Anyway, I know that Tarble might seem out of character, but I'm making him like Gohan. I'm sure he'd be stronger after getting beaten up by the androids, and he'd be fighting Abo and Cado out of a sense of responsibility.


	8. A Taste of Victory

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

* * *

Aka, the fusion of Abo and Cado, stood towering over his enemies. His girth was greater, in proportion, than that of either Abo or Cado. The space armor seemed stretched over his bulk, and the shoulder covers, which usually stuck out to the side, were now completely filled with his huge shoulders.

Looking down at Tarble, and Tapion, Aka grinned arrogantly before breaking into laughter. His double chin bobbed up and down as his body shook like a mountain of jelly in an earthquake. When the laughter ceased, he saw his two opponents standing strong, undaunted by his increased size.

"I admire your courage." He looked down on them, mocking their comparatively diminutive stature. "So you actually think you can defeat me? Sorry to sink your ship, but you two seem to be coming up a little short."

Tarble leapt forward and rammed his fist into Aka's gut. "We're not afraid!" However, when he noticed that his punch had only displaced a few rolls of fat, his perspective began to change.

"Your punches no longer affect me." Aka raised his leg and brought it down on Tarble, who phased out of the way. The ground shook as the giant's full weight caused the earth to crack. Raising his forearm, Aka swiped Tapion away, as the swordsman tried to cut his head off.

Tarble appeared behind Aka and kicked him in the back of the head, but the blow hardly affected the giant. Vanishing before Aka turned around, Tarble put some distance between them before launching a ki blast into the giant. He was dismayed to seen his attack bounce off on contact before exploding, leaving Aka virtually unscathed.

The giant howled with laughter at Tarble's futile attempt to damage him. "Fool! You still think that you can hurt me?" However, his eyes widened as he felt a cut along his back. "Hey! What was that?" He futilely attempted to reach the spot where Tapion's sword had sliced him.

Tapion panted, and shook the blood from his sword. He looked up at Aka with an offended glare. "Do you still think we can't damage you?"

"That was just a fluke," exclaimed the enraged giant. "I won't let it happen again." His gaze shifted to Bardock, and Piccolo, who looked unimpressed with him. "I'll show you all!" Lifting into the air, he opened his mouth and began spinning around letting ki blasts fly from his mouth, in what seemed like a twisting rain of explosives.

The Z-Fighters leapt out of the way, as the blasts landed, and caused several large craters to appear. Tarble crossed his arms to block and oncoming blast, but the attack pushed into a nearby plateau, causing the landform to crumble around him. Tapion was barely able to deflect an attack with his sword, and was knocked down as another one exploded nearby.

Piccolo and Bardock were doing a much better job at avoiding the blasts. As they looked around, both knew that this was causing a commotion, which risked drawing the androids to the area. If the androids came, the situation could only get worse.

"We've got to shut this guys up," said Piccolo.

"Tell me something I don't know," replied Bardock as they both rushed at Aka from different angels. However, as they got closer, it became harder to dodge Aka's blasts, and while the attacks wouldn't do much damage, they could certainly slow them down.

Piccolo growled in frustration as the blasts slowly pushed himself and Bardock back. "If we could just get to him…" He closed his eyes, and put up an energy shield as he formulated a plan. _His body isn't particularly strong, but those blasts will just keep pushing us back. However…if I could divert his attention for just an instant…_

Bardock saw Piccolo backing away before charging an attack. His middle and index fingers were in front of his forehead and lightning was crackling around them. _Looks like he's up to something. It probably involves me, so I shouldn't try anything yet._

_

* * *

_

Trunks continued to trade blows with Cell, who seemed to be enjoying the fight a lot more than he was. The young super saiyan rammed his knee into Cell's gut, and then sent him crashing through buildings with a haymaker to the face. The creature giggled as it quickly recovered from his attacks, barely scathed.

"Dammit! Take this seriously Cell!" He phased above Cell and sent him into the ground with a double-fisted smash. Then, after a series of rapid arm movement, he yelled "Burning Attack!" The powerful ki blast created a wide crater.

However, Cell had evaded the attack and appeared next to Trunks, chuckling at the shock on the super saiyan's face. "So you want me to get serious?" He wacked Trunks in the face with his tail before the saiyan had time to react. The he flew over his flying body and rammed his fist into his back.

Trunks fell, face-first on the pavement as Cell landed near him. The creature picked him up by the collar of his shirt before sending him into a building with a punch to the face. However, Trunks did not come out the other end as Cell had expected, which left him perplexed. His reptilian eyes narrowed in suspicion. _He's up to something._

Trunks had managed to recover before flying out through the building's window. Thankfully, Cell left the buildings intact, meaning that it was easier for him to hide in there. Suppressing his power, while maintaining his super saiyan form. Trunks proceeded to run through the hallways, hoping to evade Cell, and find a way to escape.

However, just as he was about to enter an office room, the creature erupted through the floor, grinning at the fact that he had found him. "So Trunks," said Cell to the scared super saiyan. "You thought you could hide from me? Sorry to disappoint you, but I practically invented the art of sneaking around."

Trunks leapt back before firing several smaller ki blasts, all of which Cell deflected. He then rushed in the land a punch, but doubled over, his fists barely connecting with the creature's forehead.

Cell removed his fist from Trunks' gut. "You're a feisty one, aren't you? It's too bad really…" Cell picked up Trunks' seemingly limp body, and raised his tail. "I did enjoy our battle, but I'm afraid that it must now end. Fear not, soon you will be a part of greatness."

However, Trunks suddenly sprang to life and sent a palm full of ki into Cell's eyes at point blank. The creature howled in pain, dropping Trunks to clutch at his eyes, and giving the saiyan an opportunity for escape.

He literally jumped at a way out, leaping over the creature before crashing out of the building through a window. Then he took through the streets, running in a random pattern. It was a technique that his master Gohan had used to escape the androids for thirteen years. When he was satisfied with the distance between them, Trunks took to the air and flew away as fast as he could, towards where the other Z-Fighters were taking on Aka.

* * *

Piccolo's attack had finished charging his attack. He thrust his arm forward, yelling "Special Beam Canon!" The beam pierced through Aka's defenses and bored a hole through his shoulder.

Aka immediately stopped his attack, clutching at his shoulder, and panting in exhaustion. Now that he was wounded, the adrenalin had worn off, and he was feeling the effects of his reckless attacks.

Bardock's eyes widened as he seized the opportunity. Clenching his fist, he charged forward, gathering ki in his fist until it glowed a bright white color. Slamming his fist into Aka's gut, he fired a point blank Riot Javelin into his gut, boring a hole, and fatally wounding him. The giant screamed loudly, as he fell back like a large oak tree.

Though the area was still engulfed in a dust cloud, Tarble, Tapion, and Piccolo were able to locate Aka's body, with Bardock already looming over him.

The older saiyan turned to Tarble with a confident smile. "He won't be getting back up. Why don't you do the honors? He terrorized your planet so you deserve that much."

"Thanks Bardock," replied Tarble, walking up to Aka with a serious glare. He stopped only a few feet away from his enemy and looked down at him angrily. Aka was barely conscious, which allowed Tarble to say something before killing him.

The prince's fists clenched as memories flooded back to him. "Abo! Cado! You both terrorized my wife's home planet! You made her life miserable and wiped out almost all of her race. You humiliated me in front of my wife! I can never forgive you for what you've done!" He extended his hand and began charging ki. "Goodbye!"

Aka was so weak that he couldn't even scream as the blast tore through him, killing him quickly. His body was vaporized, leaving behind memories that Tarble would eventually bury.

The saiyan prince sighed with relief, collapsing in front of the small crater he had made. He began laughing with joy when he realized his accomplishment. Not only had he proven his ability to fight, but he had also gained the ability to sense power levels. _It's finally over…thank you Trunks. We finally had a taste of victory…and I'm sure we'll get the androids too._

However, staring at his palm, Tarble also felt a sense of loss. Not that he cared about Abo or Cado, but now he could never say that he hadn't killed anyone before. Although it felt good to end the beings that had terrorized his wife's planet, Tarble never enjoyed killing, and he still wished that the circumstances could've been different.

Piccolo seemed to sense his inner turmoil and walked up to him, putting a hand on the saiyan's shoulder. "You're not a murderer. Sometimes it is okay to kill, and you saved many more lives."

"This is the first time I've ever killed anyone," replied Tarble in a solemn tone. "Intellectually, I know there was nothing wrong with it…but still…I wish that I wouldn't have had to. Fighting is one thing, but killing…even if it's okay, it still feels wrong to me…I was just caught up in anger before."

Bardock sighed and knelt at Tarble's level, giving the younger saiyan an encouraging smile. "Look. It's not like anyone's going to blame you for this. I killed many innocent people in cold blood before I had a change of heart. I can never undo my actions, but I can change the course of my life, and hope that those in the next world are willing to forgive me."

"That goes for me too," said Piccolo. "I was also bad at one point. However, I was able to redeem myself, and now I'm one of the good guys. "Believe me, what you just did was nothing compared to what Bardock and I have done, and nothing good can come of moping around about it. You've to move on."

Tarble looked at Piccolo, and then at Bardock. "Thank you…thank you both."

Tapion smiled at the situation. He hadn't killed anyone in his life either, and though he had never thought much of it, the pep talk helped him as well. Then, they all sensed a significant power approaching and when he looked up; the golden aura approaching was unmistakable.

* * *

I hope I did a good job of developing Tarble a little at the end there.


	9. A New Development

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

* * *

Trunks was nearly out of breath as he landed in front of his comrades before squatting and panting to regain his breath. It wasn't long before he reverted to his base form. "It was …too strong for me."

"That makes it stronger than any of us," replied Bardock. "We can't beat the creature…unless we work together."

Trunks was still trembling from the adrenalin of fighting. "When I was fighting it, I never got the impression that it was actually trying. It wasn't at its full power. I don't even know how strong it was," and then his clenched his fists in frustration. "And it keeps getting stronger with every person it absorbs."

"I have an idea," said Piccolo. "But I can't be sure until it happens." He lifted off. "I'm going to the lookout to merge with Kami. The power I get from that might tip the balance."

"Sounds like a plan," said Bardock. "I think I'll come too. How about it Tapion? I think we should go there to see if Hirudegarn surfaces."

"I agree," replied Tapion before turning to Trunks and Tarble. "Take care you two. Hopefully we'll be able to work our way through all of the other threats like we did Abo and Cado." He then followed Bardock and Piccolo towards the lookout, leaving Trunks and Tarble alone.

Tarble turned to his nephew, who was smiling, though not very convincingly. While Tarble lacked the killer instincts of his saiyan race, he was far better at empathizing than the average saiyan was. "You're not a failure," said Tarble to Trunks.

The teen's eyes widened with shock; Tarble had seemingly read his mind. "I don't…I know I'm not a failure, but after failing to destroy the androids for four years and then loosing to that creature without really harming it at all I…I just don't feel up to it anymore. Don't get me wrong, I am fully willing to fight, but what good am I besides my super saiyan powers? Bardock was able to surprise android Seventeen in combat, despite being weaker, yet I can't do anything, but run away." Trunks was having a hard time getting his true feelings across.

Tarble raised an eyebrow as he began to figure out what Trunks was trying to say. "You think you're an incompetent fighter?" When he saw the teenager nod, Tarble began to empathize. "It's hard…living in the shadow of great warriors. When I was growing up, although my power level was good for an average saiyan of my age, my father was constantly comparing me to Vegeta, your father." The saiyan prince sighed, shaking his head as if at someone stupid. "As a child, I was too busy feeling inferior to my brother and all of the other elite saiyan children that I didn't realize how strong I was. I was easily more powerful than the majority of beings in the universe."

Trunks blinked a few times before his lips curled into a smile. "I…I understand." He sighed, as if in relief. "I guess I should be grateful for the powers I have. Thanks for helping me keep my faith."

Tarble smiled at his nephew, the boy reminded him of himself at a younger age, and he felt a sense of loyalty to him. "You must always keep your faith intact Trunks. I know how it is to feel completely outclassed, but you can't let your enemies take everything from you. Your faith is something they should never take."

"Thank you uncle," replied Trunks as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. He wasn't sad, though he wasn't in the brightest of moods. "Gohan used to tell me that all the time, but I was too young to listen properly."

"Let's go home Trunks," said Tarble as he placed a hand on the boys shoulder. "They'll be waiting for us."

Trunks nodded in response before following his uncle home. When they got back and entered the building, Bulma and Gure had gotten dinner ready. Trunks had never seen so much food since Gohan's last visit, but realized that Tarble, being a saiyan, shared his appetite.

"So what happened Trunks?" asked Bulma as she noted Trunks and Tarble were bruised, but otherwise unharmed. "You two look like you were in a battle. Was it the androids?"

"We split into two groups," said Trunks. "I went off to fight the creature, because I was the strongest. Tarble and the others went to fight Abo and Cado."

Bulma looked worried. "You went off to fight that monster on your own?"

"I was able to escape," said Trunks. "Anyway, Tarble and the others were able to defeat Abo and Cado."

Guru's face immediately brightened up and she ran over to Tarble, giving him a big hug. "That's wonderful! I'm glad that those two are out of the way."

Trunks remembered another bit of good news. "Guess what mom, Piccolo's wake now! He helped uncle Tarble fight Abo and Cado!"

"That's good…very good," replied Bulma with a happy smile and saw Trunks nod. _If only Gohan was still here. He'd have been so happy._ "I still can't believe he survived all these years."

"Believe it or not, he was unconscious on the first battlefield. The Androids knocked him out and he's been unconscious for many years. Mr. Popo said he was able to save him by sacrificing the dragonballs or something like that, so we can't use them. However, now he might be able to make a new set."

"I'm not too concerned with the dragonballs. Even if Kami made a new set, I doubt we'd be able to revive any of our old friends, or if we should. The people of the world have already seen their loved ones die maybe several years ago. Bringing them all back would throw things out of balance, both physically and mentally."

"I guess so," replied Trunks. "What's most important is that we now have a better chance to defeat the androids. Piccolo sad he would merge with Kami, so he'll be stronger than ever."

Bulma cupped her chin curiously. "Piccolo is merging with Kami? I wonder how that'll turn out." She then directed their attention to the dinner table. "Let's have dinner now."

* * *

On the far side of the planet, rain pelted the jungle, one of the last pristine wilderness left on the planet. This was one of the few places where fleeing refugees had barely if ever made an impact. Among the various trees was an eroded mountain that has a small cave.

Within the cave, a lone figure has reclined against the wall. His tail twitched in agitation. He had been able to sustain himself on the fruits and animals in the forest, though he was relying on base survival instincts. It had been a few years since he had fallen from his previous luster. Now he was no better than a wild animal, only far more powerful.

A monkey spotted the man and hopped down from a nearby tree branch to investigate. However, it heard something crashing through the nearby tree branches, and began calling out to its kin. It was like a rooster crowing, only more high-pitched. The man became agitated, though the monkey took no notice.

He clenched his fists as anger boiled inside him. "Stupid primate…Shut up!" The monkey refused to take notice, taking a step towards the cave before calling out to the other monkeys. Its high-pitched screams were aggravating. "I said shut up!" The man grabbed the monkey by the throat before clenching his fist around it, causing its neck to crack audible. The monkey's body fell limp and he began tearing it open and consuming the flesh; no need to waste perfectly good meat.

As he was about to throw away the remains of his most recent meal, the man saw someone floating in the air above him. That person had no ki and was currently wearing a very smug grin; obviously amused at the state the man in the cave was in. He was none other than android Seventeen.

"Well what do we have here? It's been a while Gohan. I can't say that the years have been kind to you, it looks like you've regressed back to the Stone Age." The android shrugged casually and was unaware of Gohan's swelling temper. "Still, I never would've pegged you a coward. While you purple headed friend has been getting his butt kicked, you've been here the whole time." Seventeen chuckled as he noticed Gohan's agitation. "Did I say something to upset you?"

"Get away from me!" Gohan stood up and fired a ki last, which Seventeen swatted aside. "Leave me alone!" The veins bulged as his fists clenched tightly.

"Make me," replied Seventeen smugly. "I'm quite sure that you've grown weaker after your time hiding out." However, his eyes widened with surprise as a bright flash of light temporarily blinded him. Moments later a fist connected with his face, sending him into the ground. Looking back up, he saw Gohan glaring down at him in his super saiyan form, but his veins were bulging out, and Seventeen could see his heartbeat in the way they pulsed.

Not giving him a chance to retaliate, Gohan swooped down on him and lodged his fist in his gut. Then he proceeded pummel his face mercilessly. Then he sent him into the air with a kick to the chin before phasing above him and grabbing him by the neck. He then proceeded to choke the android.

Seventeen struggled, but found it nearly impossible to break Gohan's grasp. _He's too powerful…I have to find Eighteen!_ With no other option, Seventeen brought his leg up into Gohan's crotch, a blow that would easily cripple most men, though it only caused Gohan to flinch for a moment. It was enough for Seventeen to break free of his grasp. Not bothering to look back, Seventeen proceeded to fly away at top speed, knowing that Gohan wouldn't be able to track him.

When he found her, she was on the outskirts of a town, ready to begin attacking it. She had apparently been waiting for him, and looked annoyed when he arrived. "And what took you so long Seventeen? You were the one who insisted we come here next."

"You wouldn't believe who I ran into," said Seventeen. "It was Gohan. I fought him, but he was too much for me, and apparently, he's got a temper now."

Eighteen responded by raising an eyebrow and giving him a crazy look. "I distinctly remember us destroying him Seventeen. Don't you remember the day when we killed him?"

Flashback:

_Gohan felt as if his chest was on fire, though he had a much bigger problem right now. He could barely hang on to his super saiyan form, and the androids were gaining on him. There was a building in his way, and before he could decide why direction to turn, he felt them ram into his back, and braced himself for impact with the structure. His body could easily take that abuse, but what followed was far worse._

_The pair loomed over him and extended their hands. Moments later a barrage of ki blasts, each as hot as the sun, rained down on him. He roared in pain, though not from the attacks, but from the searing pain in his chest. Then his world went black._

_A few minutes later, the androids stopped their attack and landed near Gohan's body. Eighteen walked up to him and nudge his head with her boot. "Looks like he's dead. Guess that means there's only that other one left."_

_Seventeen chuckled. "Look's like we'll be resting easy now. No way can that brat ever become as strong as Gohan."_

End

"But I saw him," replied Seventeen. "He was there. It had to have been him."

Eighteen let out a disgruntled sigh. "Just let it go Seventeen. Gohan's dead. Now maybe terrorizing that city down there will get this off your mind." Eighteen descended on the unsuspecting tow, followed by a grumbling Seventeen. Moments later, there were explosions accompanied by the screams of hapless victims.

* * *

Sorry about being slow updating this, but my studies come first, and I've had trouble getting inspired to write, though videogames could change that. Anyway, now you all know what happened to Gohan, or at least part of it.


	10. The Past Comes Back

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or have any rights to it.

* * *

It was early morning and Bulma was drinking coffee with Gure, while Tarble was idly listening to some music on the radio. It was a wonder that some people managed to keep a radio station running; such people were the unsung heroes of this era, and helped make life more manageable.

Trunks sat down on the couch next to his uncle with something on his mind. "Um…Uncle…" Tarble turned to him with a smile, indicating for him to go on. "I was wondering…could you tell me about what my father was like…or at least what you remember of him? I'd really like to know what he was like."

Tarble gave his nephew a sad smile. "Trunks…I don't know what happened to Vegeta after he came to Earth and met your mother, so I don't think what I have to say will be pleasant. Everything I have to say will be from when he was an immature child."

"That's okay," replied Trunks. "I just want to know more about him. I think I'll be able to handle it."

Tarble nodded before clearing his throat and beginning his story. "Well to start off, before I can tell you about your father, I'll have to explain the environment we were born into…just like everyone else, he's a product of that environment. Freeza was in control of the saiyan race and used them as his slaves to do his dirty work. That consisted of purging planets so that they were ripe for conquest by Freeza Empire and could then be sold on the galactic market."

Trunks gulped. "So my father was brought up to do that?"

"Yes," replied Tarble. "I was too, but I was too soft-hearted to fight like that, and my father decided to send me away. That's how the system worked…you were analyzed at birth to determine your future strength. The weak were sent to various planets to either conquer them or just to get them away, and the strong were groomed as elite warriors in positions of power. Being royalty, I was allowed to stay, but my lack of fighting instinct meant that my father eventually did so. My brother on the other hand turned out to be as ruthless and powerful as father wanted him to, and he was first in line for the throne. He used to bully me a lot, and I hated him for it." Tarble then smiled. "But now…I realize that he was told to be arrogant and unfriendly by our father who in turn learned that from our grandfather. That was how he was indoctrinated. I guess it's no surprise that he would change and adapt to Earth's more peaceful culture."

Trunks wasn't as cheerful as he thought he would be, but he wasn't upset either. Even though his father had a bitter past, he still turned out good in the end, and that was what counted the most. "Thank you uncle. I needed to hear that. I guess I wouldn't be able to properly know who my father was without knowing where he came from and how he started out." Before they could continue their conversation, the music was interrupted by a special radio broadcast.

"_The androids are attacking Bridge Town! They arrived a few hours ago, and now they're on a joy ride terrorizing the citizens!"_

"Oh no!" Trunks got to his feet, and made his way to the door, followed loosely by his uncle. "Mom we're going to fight the androids!" Before Bulma could protest, he and Tarble were already flying towards the besieged city. "I can sense Bardock over there," said Trunks. "We'd better hurry up and help him." Tarble nodded in response before they both moved at twice their usual speed.

Within minutes, they saw a city under siege. Explosions rang out throughout the area. The androids were still rampaging throughout the town and there was no sign of an actual battle going on. Bardock hadn't engaged them yet, though he was already at the outskirts of the city.

When Trunks and Tarble arrived where Bardock had been waiting, he looked up and smiled. "Good, I was wondering when you two would show up. I wouldn't be stupid enough to challenge them both on my own."

"Well we're here now," replied Trunks before turning super saiyan. "We'd better attack them before they kill any more innocent people." Trunks led the way as they ran through the streets towards the heart of the town, where the androids were busy blowing people out of buildings.

The group hid behind a standing wall of an otherwise collapsed building. The androids' backs were to them and they didn't seem to know that they were being watched. Trunks tensed up, ready for the attack. He knew that their best chance was to have the element of surprise, so he signaled to Bardock and Tarble so they knew to attack Android Seventeen. He would fight Android Eighteen. They then waited until the androids had found new targets to shoot at before leaping at them from behind.

Eighteen was about to fire off a ki blast at a fleeing man when Trunks roundhouse kicked her in the back, causing her to fly forward into a building. Seventeen was shocked, but didn't have time to react before Bardock and Tarble blinded him with ki blasts to the face. Bardock then rushed forward and sent Seventeen skyward with a kick to the gut.

"What the hell?" Eighteen rose from the rubble and saw Trunks' fist flying at her. He sidestepped the attack before grabbing his arm and sending him flying back with a punch to the face. She gave him a proud smirk. "Did you think the element of surprise would help you boy?"

Trunks leapt to his feet and charged into battle again, but this time he feinted a punch before trying to kick her in the side of the head. Eighteen saw through his attack and ducked, causing his attack to miss before delivering a roundhouse kick to his back. Trunks stumbled forward before collapsing on his knees, but he quickly phased out of the way as a ki blast blew up the area around him.

"You've gotten better," noted Eighteen as she and Trunks began exchanging blows at supersonic speed. "But it's not enough." She saw a hole in his defenses and exploited it with a powerful left hook that sent him high into the air.

Trunks recovered just as Eighteen rose up to his level. He glared at her with hatred in his eyes. "I'm never giving up until I destroy you." With that, he charged at her and resumed fighting her at supersonic speed.

Tarble and Bardock weren't faring well against Seventeen, who was easily able to fend off their attack without trying. They were punching him at supersonic speeds, yet he was still fast enough to anticipate both their moves and counter with ease. Ducking under a punch from Bardock, he elbowed Tarble in gut as the prince tried to get him from behind.

"Tarble!" Bardock used instant transmission to dodge a punch from Seventeen and appear by Tarble's side. He then looked over at Trunks. The younger saiyan was faring much better than them, but even he was loosing. _We have to get out of here_ thought Bardock as he grabbed Tarble's body and leapt back as Seventeen threw down a ki blast. He couldn't sense any civilians in the town. _They're all dead or gone; we've got nothing left to do here._

"What's wrong Bardock?" Seventeen had a confident smirk. "I thought you pure blooded saiyans lived to fight, but you don't seem to be much of a fighter now." He raised an eyebrow at Tarble's unconscious body slung over Bardock's shoulder. "Why don't you put down that dead weight and fight me?"

Bardock did a quick visual scan of the area before using instant transmission to appear next to Trunks. "We've got to get out of here," he whispered into the super saiyan' s ear. "There's no point in staying any longer. We're going to die if we continue."

"I think you're right," replied Trunks as he panted. He saw Seventeen appear next to Eighteen. The androids seemed impatient.

"What's wrong with you two?" Seventeen gave them a knowing grin that would send chills down most people's spines. "You're planning an escape aren't you?"

"We can't allow that," added Eighteen. She rushed towards them. "You're going to fight us to the death this time, unless we say you can live."

"Take this!" Bardock threw a ki ball at her, but when she tried to swipe it away, it blew up in a flash of bright light. "Come one!" Bardock led Trunks through the city streets and into a nearby building, where they sat down to catch their breath. They were both tired from fighting, and knew that the androids never tire.

"Why couldn't you just use instant transmission?" asked Trunks. "Wouldn't that have been safer and more convenient?"

Bardock shook his head. "I'd need time to focus on a power level to go to. I wouldn't have time to focus on one with the androids attacking us." Bardock placed his middle and index fingers on his forehead and began to concentrate.

However, Trunks heard a crashing sound as the door to their building was blown open. _Oh crap! The androids are coming._ He turned to Bardock. "Can you hurry it up?"

"I'm trying," replied Bardock.

Seventeen and Eighteen were now on the other side of the wall, and Eighteen heard Trunks talking to Bardock. An evil grin appeared, as she got ready to knock the wall down with the back of her hand. "Party's over!"

Bardock's eyes widened before he grabbed Trunks and Tarble, and they vanished moments before the wall came crashing down. Seventeen's eyebrow twitched as he noticed the lack of bodies on the other side.

"They gave us the slip…AGAIN!" Seventeen clenched his fists. "Why don't they just stay a fight? Gohan never ran away like that."

"Calm down Seventeen," replied Eighteen. "Besides, Gohan used to run away to. He just put up more of a fight because he was stronger."

* * *

Hoy had sensed Trunks and Tarble leaving West city and decided to sneak in to try and summon Hirudegarn. He was well aware of Bulma and the fact that she had rebuilt Tapion's music box some how, thereby preventing him from easily summoning Hirudegarn. The spell he had used release Tapion was originally intended to draw Hirudegarn's outer half into his own body, where he could more easily control it. He had performed a similar spell with Tapion's brother; Minosha and gained control of Hirudegarn's lower half. However, it left both him and the beast exhausted, and he wouldn't be able to do anything for several days. However, he had decided to try summoning Hirudegarn now.

"Alright Hirudegarn! It's time to come out!" However, when Hoy tried to call the beast out, nothing happened, and he cursed himself. "Ah well…I'll try later." An evil grin appeared on his face. "There's no rush now anyway. Once Hirudegarn comes out, everyone will be dead."

Several minutes later, he sensed Bardock, Trunks, and Tarble appearing in Capsule Corp. He decided to hide amongst the ruins until he felt ready to try again.

* * *

Piccolo looked down and saw the destruction the androids had caused. Anger coursed through him as he turned around to face Kami. "Look old man, if we don't fuse soon, the androids are going to wipe everyone out. I need our combined power to beat them!"

Kami sighed before smiling. "I agree, and I suggest we use you body because it is younger and stronger than mine is. Very well, let us begin."

Piccolo nodded. "So what do I have to do?"

"Just place your hand on my chest, and I'll push my life force into you." Piccolo complied and Kami began gathering his energy. Moments later it he was engulfed in a white aura and it looked like he was in pain.

Piccolo's eyes widened as he felt an almost unimaginable power coursing through him. The ground shook beneath him as Kami was slowly engulfed in a white light. Piccolo eventually closed his eyes, and when he was able to open them again, Kami was gone. However, to Piccolo, it was as if Kami was still with him. He could feel Kami's presence on the inside. His power had increased several times over and he felt stronger than a super saiyan.

Tapion, and Mr. Popo came running outside to see what had happened. Their eyes widened in awe as they felt Piccolo's increased strength.

"You…you did it," said Tapion. "You merged with Kami…didn't you."

"Yes I did," replied Piccolo. "Now I am whole once more."

"Goodbye Kami," said Mr. Popo with some sadness in his voice.

Piccolo turned to give his old friend a smile. "Do not worry Mr. Popo. Kami is still here." He placed a hand over his heart. "We are one again. Both Kami and Piccolo inhabit this body now. I am now the Namek who crashed here eons ago."

* * *

I guess this update took longer than it was supposed to, but I'm in a bit of a creative slump as far is this and my other current stories go.


End file.
